I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of one of only five authentic Persian cuisine restaurants in Colorado during a recent episode of the In Good Taste Denver Podcast. In our conversation, we find out what comprises Persian cuisine – what you will and won’t find on the menu, the history behind the restaurant and the owner’s dreams for it going forward. Meet Aryan (Ari) Diba, the owner of Surena Persian Cuisine restaurant, located in Centennial and celebrating 10 years in business. Click on the player below to listen while you enjoy some photos of the food anyone can enjoy at Surena.
Meet Aryan Diba of Surena Persian Cuisine in Centennial
Growing up in Colorado, Ari’s family dined out a lot and his father owns a successful international market (that I’ve been shopping at for years – small world!), Arash Market on Parker Road. Ari explains how both of those things combined to lead him to open Surena Persian Cuisine restaurant.
Ari talks about some of the items on the menu, including kebabs, special rice, salads and other items. Everything is made from scratch at Surena!
Ari also tells us about his head chef, Heydar Jafarpour, who has been in the restaurant industry for more than 50 years. He brings formal training in Persian, French and German cuisines.
I ask Ari what he thinks sets his restaurant apart and why he feels the restaurant has been successful for a decade now. He credits his staff, the quality of the food and service, all of which have built up a lot of loyalty among customers over the years. Ari says it’s not uncommon to see larger groups gathered around a table, sharing platters of food. This reminded me of fond memories of my extended family gathering at a local Greek restaurant, also for shared platters served family-style – plus belly dancing!
Even with its popularity for gatherings, Ari says Surena is also the perfect place for one or two people to dine too.
Enjoy listening to my conversation with Ari Diba and then make reservations to go dine there. Surena Persian Cuisine restaurant is located at 9625 E. Arapahoe Road, Unit P in Centennial. Visit the website at surenarestaurant.com to see the menu and learn more. Follow them on Facebook at surenapersioncuisine which is also a great place to learn about specials.
My thanks to Ari for sponsoring this In Good Taste Denver Podcast and accompanying article. The podcast series can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Overcast, Amazon, YouTube and just about everywhere you like to stream podcasts.
-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher & Managing Editor, InGoodTasteDenver.com and Host of the In Good Taste Denver Podcast
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