The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

I don’t do ten best lists, but looking back over the last year, I can recall some memorable dining experiences. For now, at least, I am going to limit myself to the new places – the list will just get too long if I try to work in more than just a mention of old favorites like the Grand Café Vincent, and Atlas Grill.

It’s hard to find a decent Shiraz in Shiraz these days, but that doesn’t mean that the Iranians have stopped drinking. (A popular joke: “Under the Shah, we drank in public and prayed in private; now it’s the other way around.”) But you can find some very drinkable Shirazes and first-rate Persian cuisine in stylish surroundings at the new Shiraz Fire Roasted Cuisine. Many dishes are Persian versions of familiar Middle Eastern fare—hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and kabobs of beef and chicken.