But it was owner Mohsen Lavasani - worked into a jolly frenzy over his grill - who kept sneaking precious pieces off the pile for a snack. No wonder tadik is rarely on menus. It hardly makes it out of the kitchen. And only a busy restaurant really goes through enough pots of rice to offer it regularly.
By that measure, Shundeez should be roasting up mountains more of that crusty rice than it does. If tadik is the secret treasure nestled at the bottom of every fragrant pot, this eatery is a hidden prize at the top of Chestnut Hill.
Tucked into the far corner of a strip mall behind Borders and the bus station, in the space formerly occupied by Roller's, this affordable and tasty grill is easily one of the neighborhood's best restaurants.
It's a major step up for Lavasani and his wife, Mahtab, who ran a series of farmers' market food stands (and one still in Chestnut Hill) before landing here.
The restaurant is a pleasantly simple room, with glassed-in walls and blond oak trim, curried-orange and pea-green accents, and white linens draped atop the closely spaced tables. It has an easy bistro mood, nice enough for a date, but also family friendly.
It could still use some polish in the service department - the friendly but flighty dining-room staff was completely different on each of my three visits. That this BYOB also charges a corkage fee ($5 per bottle, with an $8.50 max) is also a slight surprise, considering the ordinary stemware.
