Rasht

Rasht is the capital of Gilan and was named a UNESCO creative city of gastronomy in 2015, which reflects a regional cuisine genuinely unlike the rest of Iran: the Caspian climate produces herbs, vegetables, rice, garlic, walnuts, olives and fish in abundance, and Gilani cooking uses sourness heavily, with pomegranate molasses, sour orange, verjuice and unripe grape, along with quantities of fresh herbs. Dishes to look for are mirza ghasemi of smoked aubergine and garlic, baghali ghatogh with broad beans and dill, torsh kabab marinated in walnut and pomegranate, and fish from the Caspian. The city bazaar has a large wet market of herbs, garlic, olives and smoked fish, and the central square is lined with eating places.

History

One view derives the name from resh, "very light rain", for the area's rainy weather. Rasht was first mentioned in Umayyad documents in 682, the Cossack leader Stenka Razin plundered it in 1669, and an earthquake struck it in 1714 (Wikipedia, Rasht).

Highlights

• The bazaar wet market - herbs, garlic, olives and smoked fish.
• Mirza ghasemi and baghali ghatogh - the dishes the region is known for.
• Sour cooking - pomegranate, sour orange and verjuice used heavily.
• Caspian fish - fresh and smoked, sold and cooked across the city.

When to go

April to October, though the food is year round. Two days to eat properly. Mornings for the bazaar. Rain is frequent at any season and summer humidity is heavy.

What to expect

The city itself is congested and architecturally unremarkable; the reason to come is the food. Restaurant quality varies widely and the best places are unmarked local ones. Summer humidity is oppressive. Traffic is heavy at holidays.

Nearby

Anzali lagoon is north; Masuleh and Rudkhan lie west in the mountains.