Fresh and healthy Persian food
Banibanoo is a very original and very welcome newcomer to the Madrid restaurant scene which serves up market-fresh and creative Persian cuisine in a young and modern atmosphere. While many of Madrid’s long-running Persian restaurants serve up heavy yet delicious dishes like grilled kebabs, Banibanoo opts for a rotating line up of seasonal and fresh dishes like beetroot hummus, Persian-style cauliflower and lemon frittatas, traditional rice dishes (“polos”) made with basmati rice, fresh herbs, and raisins, and smoky roasted eggplant dips. They have a daily menu where you can choose three options from their daily selection of six or seven plus a drink and either coffee, tea, or dessert for around 12.00 euros. If you can, make sure to order their homemade Iranian drink made from lemon, honey, cucumber, and rose petals…it was addictively good! My wife and I ordered two menus to try a bit of everything on offer and we devoured it all…it was so good that we’ve actually tried to make some of it at home (but it didn’t turn out quite as good!).
Aside from their lunch selections, Banibanoo also has a short, carefully-chosen menu ranging from breakfast items like pastries and shakshuka (eggs simmered in tomatoes and onions) to heartier entrees like meat-stuffed eggplants topped with yogurt and fresh herbs or savory koftahs. The servers are friendly and more than willing to explain items on the menu and the clean, bright, and modern décor is a welcome break from the often overwrought Arabian Nights-style decorations found in a lot of Madrid’s Persian restaurants. All in all, it’s an awesome spot for a weekend lunch and the fresh food leaves you feeling energized to explore the city. Enjoy!
