"On any given day at Delara, you might find a table of academics meeting off campus for a department lunch, a multigenerational family marking a grandparent’s birthday, or a couple from the neighbourhood stopping in for a bite and a glass of wine. It can be as casual or fancy as you want it to be. This is homestyle Persian cooking with West Coast ideals (and produce). There's turmeric-marinated, charcoal-grilled chicken with barberries, which balances smoke and tang, and steelhead trout with dill and preserved lemon. And, of course, pan-fried rice with a crispy, golden bottom layer that adds an addictive crunch to any of the stews, like grilled beef with tamarind and caramelized onions. Don’t overlook the wine list and its poetic descriptions. Because who could resist a cold glass of Semillon with tasting notes like “a greenhouse hidden behind glass towers, herb tea and honey”?" - Michelle Sproule