Toranj

"Toranj is located in the heart of Westwood Village, making it an ideal lunch spot if you can’t get too far from UCLA’s campus. They do a brisk takeout service, but if you’re interested in dining in, there’s also a large sidewalk patio that offers great people-watching. As far as the food goes, your priority here should be their signature Juicy Chicken kabob. It’s slightly sweet, somewhat buttery, and so unbelievably tender you’ll forget you’re eating chicken (they also have a spicy version if you prefer some heat). We also like their ghormeh sabzi, which has a pleasant sour edge and goes nicely with the tahdig you should order as an appetizer." - brant cox, arden shore, garrett snyder, sylvio martins

"Named after an ancient design pattern inspired by the sun, Toranj specializes in traditional Persian cuisine. Start with an order of the eggplant, a creamy blend of eggplant, garlic, mint, and yogurt, topped with tangy whey, before digging into the restaurant’s signature “juicy” chicken. Every order includes four boneless pieces of chicken breast marinated overnight and blazed over an open fire. Dine on Saturdays and Sundays for a taste of tachin, a crispy and savory rice cake composed of saffron, yogurt, and eggs, and brightened with sauteed barberries." - Melody Barooni

"The story of Toranj, one of Westwood’s most impressive Persian restaurants, starts at a sleepy Torrance strip mall at a place called Chicken Chick that opened in 2015. There, the Pirshirazi family served some of the South Bay’s best Persian cuisine with its rolled marinated “juicy” chicken that retains its flavor well after hitting the table. Unfortunately, Chicken Chick closed in September 2023 due to construction limbo with the landlord, leaving the Pirshirazis to focus on Toranj. The Westwood Village restaurant opened in 2019 serving Chicken Chick’s juicy chicken and a slew of other expertly grilled kebabs, like barramundi, beef koobideh, and filet mignon barg, with almost a half-dozen kinds of fluffy rice seasoned with barbarries (zereshk) and sour cherries (albaloo). The homey stews stick to the ribs like the tangy chicken fesenjoon or the hearty gormeh sabzi with veal, kidney beans, and herbs. To finish, relax into warm cups of black tea and dig into a plate of fragrant baklava. South Bay diners should be excited because Toranj is expanding to Manhattan Beach sometime in early 2025. — Matthew Kang, lead editor" - Eater Staff

"Longtime Westwood Persian favorite Toranj is offering a Dine LA menu for $25. Start with a choice of Persian eggplant, salad shirazi, or cucumber yogurt, followed by chicken kebab, filet mignon shish kebab, salmon kebab, or gheymeh stew with veal and split peas. End the meal on a sweet note with pistachio baklava and Persian tea." - Rebecca Roland

"Toranj is a Persian spot located in the heart of Westwood Village making it an ideal lunch option if you can’t veer too far from campus. They do a brisk takeout service, but if you’re interested in dining in, there’s also a large sidewalk patio. As far as the food goes, the priority here absolutely needs to be the Juicy Chicken. It’s slightly sweet, somewhat buttery, and so unbelievably tender you’ll forget you’re actually eating chicken. If you want some heat on it, order the spicy version, which has been marinated overnight in their special housemade spicy sauce. We also like their ghormeh sabzi, which is a bit more sour than other versions in the neighborhood, and goes nicely with the tahdig you should order as an appetizer." - nikko duren, brant cox