Most Persian restaurant menus stay the same all week. The Specials list at Isfahan Kabob in San Jose does not: two of its dishes are marked on the ordering page as available only on certain days. If you want a stew or a lamb shank plate, the day you order decides what you can get. This guide walks through the three specials, what each dish is, which days to plan for, and what to order when no special is running.
Why the specials list depends on the day
Open the Isfahan Kabob ordering page and look at the Specials category. Next to the dish names you will see the days written into the listings: Ghormehsabzi is marked as available only on Wednesday and Thursday, and Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank is marked as available only on Friday and Saturday. Beryan carries no day limit on the listing.
That makes this menu easy to use once you know the pattern. Pick the dish first, then pick the day. If you are planning a family dinner or an office lunch, order a day ahead so you are not choosing at the last minute. Stock can change during the day, too: Geymeh showed as out of stock when this guide was written, so check the page for what is available when you order.
Ghormehsabzi: the herb stew (Wednesday and Thursday)
Wikipedia describes ghormeh sabzi as a traditional Persian herb stew, made with sautéed parsley, leeks, green onions and coriander, seasoned with dried fenugreek and cooked with red kidney beans, dried limes and braised lamb. It is usually served with steamed rice. The Isfahan Kabob listing is shorter: Ghormehsabzi is described as beef stew made with herbs, vegetables and beans.
Order Ghormehsabzi if:
- You want a slow-cooked stew rather than a grilled kabob.
- You are ordering on a Wednesday or Thursday, the two days the listing allows.
- You like herb-forward food with beans in it.
The Specials list also carries gormezabzy no rice. If you want the stew with something specific on the side, ask the staff how the two listings differ before you order.
Menu card — Ghormehsabzi
Listed under Specials on the Isfahan Kabob ordering page as available only on Wednesday and Thursday: beef stew made with herbs, vegetables and beans.
Order on the Isfahan Kabob menu
Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank: dill rice and lamb (Friday and Saturday)
Wikipedia describes baghali polo as an Iranian rice dish flavored with fava beans and fresh dill, usually served with braised lamb shank. The restaurant’s version is Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank, and the listing limits it to Friday and Saturday.
Order Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank if:
- You want a rice-based plate with a lamb shank on top.
- You are planning a Friday or Saturday meal, the two days the listing allows.
- You want something different from the grilled skewers that fill most of the menu.
Menu card — Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank
Listed under Specials on the Isfahan Kabob ordering page as available only on Friday and Saturday.
Order on the Isfahan Kabob menu
Beryan: a dish from Isfahan served on bread
Beryan is the least familiar of the three. The menu describes Beryan as a traditional dish from Esfahan, made as a ground beef patty over bread. According to Wikipedia, the Isfahan original is made mainly from lamb and mutton and is served on sangak bread with onion and greens, usually in specialized restaurants. The menu does not say how the restaurant adapts the dish, so ask the staff if you want details on the meat or the bread.
It is a good choice for a first-time guest who wants to try something specific to Isfahan, since it is the one special that is not tied to a particular day on the listing.
Menu card — Beryan
Listed under Specials on the Isfahan Kabob ordering page as a traditional dish from Esfahan: a ground beef patty over bread.
Order on the Isfahan Kabob menu
Kabobs for the days no special runs
On Monday, Tuesday and any other day the stew and the lamb shank are not listed, the kabob plates carry the menu. The Entrees/Main Dishes list is numbered, and each plate comes with rice and roasted tomato:
- Chenjeh: beef pieces, New York steak.
- Barg (Fillet Mignon): 1 fillet.
- Soltani (Fillet Mignon Combo): 1 fillet and 1 kubideh.
- Shishlik: rack of lamb.
- Single Kubideh Kabob: 1 ground beef.
For a meat-free meal, the Vegetarian category lists a Vegetarian Plate with hummus, rice, salad and 4 falafels, and Veggies and Basmati Rice with bell peppers, tomato, onions and zucchini.
Starters, sides and a drink
The specials are rich, so a light side works well next to them:
- Shirazi (Persian Salad): chopped cucumber, tomato and onions with a dressing of lemon juice, salt and dried mint.
- Mastokhiar: yogurt mixed with cucumbers, served with lavash bread.
- Kashkebademjan: smashed eggplant, served with lavash bread.
- Persian Tea or Doog non Carbonated to drink.
- Baklava or Persian Ice Cream to finish.
Ordering for a group
Isfahan Kabob has a Trays category for groups. It includes the Kubideh Tray (10 skewers), the Chicken Tray (5 skewers of chicken breast), the kubideh&Chicken Tray (5 kubideh and 3 chicken), a Basmati Rice Tray and a Veggies Kabob Tray. The restaurant also has a catering page. The menu does not say how many people each tray feeds, so ask when you order.
Hours, location and how to order
Isfahan Kabob is at 3014 Union Ave, San Jose, CA 95124, phone (408) 559-1555. The website lists Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM, with Sunday closed. Its About page says all of its meats are halal-certified.
Order through Isfahan Kabob’s own page rather than a third-party app. The restaurant receives the full order with no app commission.
FAQ
What days is Ghormehsabzi available at Isfahan Kabob?
The ordering page lists Ghormehsabzi as available only on Wednesday and Thursday, and describes it as beef stew made with herbs, vegetables and beans.
What days can I order Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank?
The ordering page marks Bahalipolo with Lamb Shank as available only on Friday and Saturday. Wikipedia describes baghali polo as Iranian rice flavored with fava beans and dill, usually served with braised lamb shank.
What is Beryan?
The menu calls Beryan a traditional dish from Esfahan and lists it as a ground beef patty over bread. Wikipedia notes that the traditional Isfahan version is made mainly with lamb and mutton and served on sangak bread with onion and greens.
Is the meat at Isfahan Kabob halal?
The restaurant’s About page says all of its meats are halal-certified. The ordering page does not carry a halal label, so ask the staff if you need to confirm a specific item.
Where is Isfahan Kabob and when is it open?
It is at 3014 Union Ave, San Jose, CA 95124, phone (408) 559-1555. The website lists Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 8 PM, and says it is closed on Sunday.
Order the Persian specials at Isfahan Kabob
Pick your dish, match it to its day, and order straight from the restaurant. Ordering direct means Isfahan Kabob gets the full order with no third-party commission.