70 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} Arya, a Persian steakhouse, takes pride in its roots— evident from the tapestries depicting the poet Rumi’s ancient tales and the winged lion logo inspired by an artifact from the First Persian Empire. But make no mistake, the restaurant’s halal menu welcomes every diner with open arms. Catering to an array of dietary needs and preferences, it ranges from Iranian dishes like tender kebabs to succulent steak to vegetarian and fish options. There are even a few Italian dishes, thanks to executive chef Mike Hashemi’s time living in Florence, Italy. “Everyone finds something that they like,” promises Mike, who owns the restaurant with his wife Fera Hashemi. While Mike’s domain is the OPPOSITE: (left) Creamy borani bademjan eggplant dip, the perfect accompaniment for flatbread. a steady flow of Stanford University families and international executives. “Sometimes, standing in the front of the restaurant, I cannot believe we have this many cultures in one place, under one roof.’” Mike wholeheartedly agrees. “You get to talk to them and learn.” Arya’s interior channels this spirit of camaraderie. “I wanted it to be a cheerful steakhouse and I wanted it to be warm,” describes Fera. “You go to a typical steakhouse and it’s white and black. It’s very dark.” Grounded with earthy tones and accented by golden yellows and emerald greens, Arya is anything but stark. Its old-world charm is enhanced kitchen, Fera presides over the front of the house and oversees behind-the-scenes tasks like marketing and staffing. But this dynamic dining duo unites over a shared vision. “We want to be fine dining, but we want to be fine dining with a personality,” Fera says, smiling at a pair of diners enthusiastically scooping up borani bademjan eggplant dip with hunks of flatbread. Mike nods, “Friendly fine dining!” After opening Arya Steakhouses in Cupertino and Redwood City, the couple relocated the restaurant to Palo Alto two years ago. “I love the mix of cultures!” Fera says of Palo Alto, pointing out that University Avenue sees
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