"At Banibanoo, a woman-owned Iranian restaurant in Salamanca, a glass case showcases the various dishes available, “posing” like mannequins in a boutique—and, yes, you’ll want to “shop” at this casual place after you see the bowls of swirling soup and painted plates piled high with rice. They offer a daily prix-fixe lunch, which includes your choice of three dishes and a drink for under $20. Although there’s a paper menu, it’s best to get up and "ohh" and "ahhh" as the servers give you a quick rundown of what's in the case, usually too quickly. You can’t go wrong with whatever you get, but our favorites are the sweet and savory rice with saffron, lentils, raisins, mini-meatballs, dates, and fried onion, the tortilla de patata, which Banibanoo infuses with chicken and tops with sour yogurt, and the sweet potatoes and pomegranate. Reserve on weekends or Fridays when the lunch hour gets busy, but most days you can pop in without a booking to enjoy a quick, healthy midday meal with friends or on your own." - lori zaino
