PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 71 by wood ceiling beams, framed tapestries and rough-hewn stonework reminiscent of a castle. Obviously, this isn’t the Hashemis’ first rodeo. Mike has opened 10 restaurant locations over the years, six with Fera by his side. With a voracious appetite for learning the industry, Mike spent his younger years training under “very mean, good chefs,” until he felt confident he could make it on his own. He also grew up helping at the family butcher shop and market in Iran. “I was butchering lamb and cow when I was 16 years old,” he notes. This background has served him well. Expect exceptionally tender cuts of meat at Arya, from the lamb tenderloin kebabs over saffron yellow basmati rice to the filet mignon served with a head of roasted garlic and herb butter melted with a chef’s torch at your table. All steaks are dry-aged and cut in-house, then seasoned with Arya’s custom rub. They serve Australian as opposed to Japanese Wagyu—a choice some customers question at first, Fera says. That’s because Australian Wagyu is halal, complying with Muslim guidelines for humane treatment of the animal. “It tastes great and is much juicier. And people are like, ‘Oh god, I converted!’” Discerning diners won’t stop there. Begin your meal with an order of meatballs, tangy from the
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