Best of 2003: Best Persian Breakfast

Café Caspian Persian Eatery & Tearoom
4646 Park Boulevard, University Heights
619-298-2801

Two tiny rooms overflow with midnight blue cushions and eggshell blue walls and colorful cloths draped everywhere. Three samovars speak of the old way of taking tea, and Mahin, the former teacher who opened the café, is serious about bringing the Persia of her childhood to San Diego. Her Persian breakfast looks modest, but is filling and healthy. It's feta cheese, pita bread, walnuts, and a bowl of strawberries, mangoes, and kiwifruit (or other fruit according to season). It sings, when matched with cinnamon flavored chai tea. Or wait till the weekend and have what most of Iran eats in the morning: haleem, an oatmeal made of ground wheat and turkey breast.