Lala Rokh Implements Major Overhaul
Photo via Lala Rokh/Facebook
After 20 years of wowing Beacon Hill with its homestyle Persian cuisine, owner-chef Azita Bina-Seibel and owner-operations manager Babak Bina, the brother-and-sister team behind Lala Rokh, have temporarily shuttered their restaurant to retool the menu and overhaul the space—the first major remodel of the building since 1959, when it housed Au Beauchamp.
Bina, who owns the BiNA Family Hospitality Group (JM Curley, Bogie’s Place, Merrill & Co.), says his family wanted to shake things up on the cusp on Lala Rokh’s 20th anniversary. When the restaurant reopens on February 9, the space will have new oak tables and leather banquettes, a wraparound granite dining counter, and paintings from the Au Beauchamp days, which the Binas recently discovered.
Most importantly, the revamped menu will venture beyond the cuisine of northern Iran, into other regions such as the Persian Gulf. Since its opening, Lala Rokh has focused on slow-cooked dishes distinct to the region of Azerbaijan. Those will remain untouched under the “Lala Rokh Classics” side of the menu. However, the Binas have added an array of “mazzes” or small-plates that include Belderchin-grilled quail, scallops with shaved fennel, and Persian kuku potato patties. Additional categories include “Caviar Service” and “Lamb Inners,” essentially offal, with dishes like Maghz-brain fritters, slow-cooked tongue, and Dombalon lambs skewer.
In the updated main course section, Lala Rokh has added offerings like rabbit quarters with preserved lemon and olives and braised short ribs with bitter orange. And while wine has traditionally taken center stage on Lala Rokh’s beverage list, the Binas are adding Persian-inspired cocktails such as a mojito with hints of rosewater and the Lalatini, a vodka martini infused with pomegranate.
Lala Rokh’s new mazze menu will be served from 3-5 p.m daily, with dinner taking place between 5-10 p.m. Lunch service is soon to come. You can take a look at the full menu below.
97 Mount Vernon St., Boston; 617-720-5511 or lalarokh.com.
