A few near-truisms have evolved regarding how to find certain things on the FTC L.A. Board:
Best traditional Japanese kaiseki? Hayato in Arts District.
Area with the highest concentration of decent Chinese fare? The SGV.
Near-perfect pepperoni chalices? Pizza Wagon in Sherman Oaks.
And the best Persian olivieh sandwich? Attari Sandwich Shop in Westwood/Tehrangeles. Right?
Right?
Well, maybe not anymore… Recently, more than a few Iranian-American friends separately whispered to me to check out the olivieh sandwich coming out of kitchen of an unassuming-looking pizza shop in the Valley. Olivieh, an Iranian version of an originally Russian potato salad prepared with chicken, makes for a delicious sandwich filling. Of course, I just had to go check it out!
Like so many other SoCal dining jewels, Persepolis Pizza & Subs likewise occupies a nondescript frontage in a sleepy mini-mall. Walking in, one immediately notices the devotion of the owners to Persepolis Football Club. The server and kitchen staff were all smiles during my visit. In addition to the good-looking pizzas I see other customers ordering (definitely requiring a repeat visit in the future), a good portion of its menu focuses on many different sandwiches. I am here for the olivieh!
And yes! This sandwich is outstanding! The warm roll, the creamy potato salad with chicken, crunchy dill pickles, and unorthodox addition of red onion all contribute to a splendid experience. To be fair to Attari, I do like the Attari sandwich roll just a slight bit more than the bread at Persepolis. But given its quality salad filling, textural complexity and overall deliciousness, I gotta give the win to the olivieh sandwich at Persepolis.
But it got better. I had planned to try the ash reshteh (Persian legume soup) there as well, since Attari is also famed for their version of this iconic soup. Sadly, I was told that ash was not on the Persepolis menu that day, but rather to try their “Soup-e Jo” (creamy barley soup) instead. And I was so, so glad I did, because this soup absolutely rocked as well! Soulful and gentle, with beautiful textures - this Soup-e Jo was perfect accompaniment to pair with my terrific sandwich.
Family-run Persepolis is a much-welcome new find to add to my list of places to frequent, thanks to all my friends. Exploring all the Persian pizzas on their menu will prove to be worthy of a repeat visit as well!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Persepolis Pizza & Subs
6900 Reseda Bl., #G
Reseda, CA 91355
818.758.6916
PersepolisPizzaSubs.com