Cingari Restaurant in Tehran

By Syma Sayyah and Paul Sanford, Tehran
Good Restaurants Guide in Tehran

Cingari is Tehran's new Indian restaurant which is the corner of Mofateh (formerly Roosevelt Avenue) and Zohreh Street, in central Tehran, close to 7^th Tir square.  A few friends had recommended it and we had been meaning to go there for some time but finally got a chance a few weeks ago to go for a goodbye dinner for one of our friends and also because we had a vegetarian guest from England.  Tehran is not noted for its choice of vegetarian restaurants, but the Cingari does a very good range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian food in Mughlai style.  We went there again a week later with some other friends.

The restaurant was opened and managed by Christopher Dawe, who is German and had been to Iran in the early 90's when his parents were living and working here.  After graduating in hotel management he started his career in Oman at the Emir's palace.  After a year he started to work for an international hotel chain and opened many branches for them throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  A few years back he came to the conclusion that it was high time that he opened his own place.  He had been to the Middle East and Asia through his job and was familiar with many good cooks and supply sources.  He was choosing between Cyprus, Morocco and Tehran.  In his feasibility study he had come to realise that there was an excellent demand for a good Indian restaurant in Tehran and so it was that Tehran was his choice.  After a few months he found the right partner and moved here with his family and started the Cingari restaurant.  The chef is Indian and a lot of ingredients used in preparing and cooking are imported.

The young staff were dressed smartly and simply and were most cordial and helpful.  The portions were sufficient and the spices were used with consideration to the local taste.  The presentation of the food was good and the fresh fruit juice was most appreciated by all of us.  The dessert menu was limited but we found them very tasty and the fruit was excellent.

Many of their clients are business people, travellers and young couples coming for a taste of India.  Part of the restaurant's business is outside catering for parties, embassies and official occasions looking for diversity.

What we liked about the Cingari more than anything else was the sense of space and calmness, especially if you were sitting in and leaning on their lovely comfortable and colourful cushions.  We liked the decor and found the food pretty good but we were mostly impressed with the ambience in general and how cordial the staff were.  The toilets were very clean. The prices were not cheap but then again what is money for if not to spend it and enjoy it!  Overall verdict 8 out of ten.

Cingari can be found at 4, Zohreh Street, Mofateh Avenue.  Their phone number is 021 88 32 70 75

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