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We visited Arya as a
party of three on a rainy Saturday evening in July, arriving just after
18.30. Arya’s town centre location, just by the Open Market, means that
there is plenty of on-street parking available within a short walk.
Stepping in off the street, first impressions are good:
terracotta-coloured walls give the open-plan dining area a warm and
sunny feel. There is a small, colourful seated reception/waiting area to
which smokers seem to be confined – there are no ashtrays on the tables
– and in the opposite corner, a brick oven where light, crispy naan
breads are baked in a matter of minutes, in full view of diners. In
short, the interior is completely unrecognisable from its previous
incarnation as the Vine Seller specialist beer and wine shop, to which
we were frequent visitors. This by contrast was our first visit to Arya.
Service was friendly on arrival, and attentive and interested
thereafter, with staff taking time to explain our menu choices, and how
best to enjoy them. We were the only small group dining that evening,
but even with two much larger parties to attend to (celebrating a
birthday and a hen night respectively), the level of service was
maintained throughout.
Despite arriving 15 minutes ahead of our reservation, we were seated
straight away and soon after were pondering over the menu. We were given
a wine list that was more than adequate though dominated by New World
labels, but after some discussion we opted for beer. The waitress
recommended Efes Pilsner from Turkey as being best suited to the type of
food on offer and we were rewarded with ice-cold, clear golden pils with
a clean crisp taste and without the gassiness typical of too many
lagers. Also available were Beck’s, Stella Artois and Carling, plus a
variety of alcopops and soft drinks.
We ordered a garlic naan and three starters, with three main courses to
follow. The naan arrived within two minutes and was quite simply
exquisite – light, thin, crispy with golden bubbles on the surface, very
garlicky, with a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh parsley. Our son’s
verdict was “garlic heaven”.
Two warm and one cold starter soon followed. Kashk – fried aubergine in
mint with yoghurt and tomato – was a subtle blend of ingredients so that
the flavour of the aubergine came through and was enhanced by the mint.
Cutlet – a blend of minced lamb, creamed potato and spices - was much
like a shami kebab in appearance but was nowhere near as spicy;
delicately flavoured and complemented the kashk very well. Sabzi was a
herb salad with radish, walnuts and a good chunk of tangy, salty feta
cheese. All three starters were just that – small dishes designed to
pique the appetite rather than leave you feeling full even before the
main course arrives.
Main courses on offer are either kebabs or stews, with a reasonable
range of vegetarian options. We sampled both types of dish. Dizi is a
stew of lamb rib with potato, tomato, chick peas and haricot beans which
arrived at the table in a lidded metal jug. Describing to us how the
meal was normally eaten, the waiter poured off the broth into a bowl and
added pieces of naan before mashing up the meat and vegetables with a
pestle and serving it in a separate bowl. The broth was deliciously
meaty while the lamb was tasty and tender with no overpowering herbs or
spices to detract from the flavour of the meat. Fesenjan is a chicken
stew in a sauce combining pomegranates and grated walnut, providing an
initial burst of sharp, sour flavour, which gives way to a pleasantly
bitter, nutty aftertaste. The meat was succulent and juicy. Our kebab
choice was Soltani, two skewers of lamb, one minced, the other marinated
fillet. Served with buttered basmati rice, delicate use of sauce and
spices meant that the flavour of the meat dominated. A bowl of chilli
sauce provided the option of a hotter kebab, but we only gave it a try,
as we didn’t feel that the meat needed any assistance.
Desserts, tea and coffee are served in the upstairs tea salon. There was
no evidence of a lift, which means this may be inaccessible for disabled
diners. The décor here included some striking murals and a painting of
the Mona Lisa smoking a hubble-bubble pipe. We sat on carved wooden
couches with plump cushions, where we were served adequate coffee and
Persian tea, a similar flavour to Earl Grey only stronger. Son had a
bowl of cheap and plentiful ice cream, with fruit, sauce and crème
Chantilly. We were soon joined by a 30-strong hen party, which added to
the ambience, and were treated to some live music in the form of a
classical guitarist. Our waitress told us that music is on offer every
evening from Thursday to Saturday. They also run Persian party nights
featuring music and dancing with a buffet meal – from the photo gallery
on the stairs, these appear to be popular and great fun. Hubble-bubble
pipes are available at a modest price, but having a small boy with us we
decided to give this a miss.
In short, the food is great and very good value for money – our meal for
three was £36.40 including coffee, tea and ice cream, plus £13 for two
drinks each; the service is quick and attentive, but in a laid-back way;
the single, disabled access toilet on the ground floor is bright and
clean. Would we go again? Most certainly!
To sum up in one sentence, we will leave you with our boy’s verdict:
“It’s so good, I don’t even mind missing Doctor Who!” The highest praise
a seven-year-old boy can give.
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this restaurant on Virtual Huddersfield click here >
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