Ravagh Persian Grill is back in action on 1st Avenue

Ravagh Persian Grill has returned after a months-long interior renovation here at 125 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

This is one of five outposts for Ravagh (three in Manhattan and two on Long Island).

People seem to like this place. Eater gave it high marks in a roundup of Persian restaurants ... while the reader comments were positive, with one noting on our last post: "I eat here all the time! The ghormeh sabzi is the best I've ever had in a restaurant. Very much hoping they open up again soon."

Ravagh Persian Grill currently closed for renovations

[Photo by Steven]

Ravagh Persian Grill on First Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place has been dark of late.

Signage on the front windows points to a temporary closure for renovations (in a positive sign, their outgoing phone message relates the same info).



This is one of five outposts for Ravagh (three in Manhattan and two on Long Island).

Anyway, I've never eaten here. It gets high marks from one reliable source. Here's what Eater had to say about it in a roundup of Persian restaurants:

The menu here stands up to some of Southern California's best Iranian restaurants. The barg kebab (whole chunks of beef rather than ground meat) is particularly flavorful, as are the joojeh (lemon chicken) kebabs. Get the kashk e bademjan as an appetizer. The creamy eggplant dip is enhanced with kashk, which is creamy whey that has a tart and almost caramelized flavor. Don't forget to order dessert: Zoolbia, which looks like a funnel-cake but is potato-chip crisp and soaked in a rose water syrup, goes well with amber-colored Persian tea.

Parmys morphed into Ravagh here back in late 2014.

Parmys Persian Fusion becoming Ravagh Persian Grill

Parmys, which opened in November at 125 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, closed Monday for a mini makeover.

Per the Parmys website:

We apologize that we will not be open to serve you, but we are also thrilled to reopen this Monday, October 20 as
Ravagh Persian Grill! It is such an honor to be joining our Ravagh family to grill up traditional Persian dishes for all to enjoy!

Here's background on Parmys via the Times in April:

The chef, Mojgan Raoufi, had never cooked in a restaurant before, having spent much of her professional life in a hospital lab. She runs Parmys with her younger brother, Amir Raoufi, who previously managed the Edgewater, N.J., branch of Ravagh Persian Grill, a mini-chain owned by their older sister’s family.

There are currently Ravagh Persian Grills on East 30th Street and on the Upper East Side.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Parmys Persian Fusion coming soon to First Avenue

Parmys Persian Fusion coming soon to First Avenue

[EVG file photo]

There's finally a tenant for the long-vacant space at 125 First Ave. between St. Mark's and Seventh Street. The plywood is up!



Matt Rosen passes along word that the storefront will be home to, as the sign shows, Parmys Persian Fusion... with kebabs and the like...



The restaurant has applied for a liquor license ... they appear on this month's CB3/SLA agenda. You can read more about the plans on the application (PDF) filed ahead of next Monday's meeting.

Most recently (in 2009), the address was home to Revitali Hookah Lounge‎ (and before that, Prana). In early 2012, there were plans here for a fish and meat market, but the financing fell through. Oh, and there were those Starbucks rumors for this space in 2010.

Plans for fish and meat market, restaurant at 125 First Avenue on hold for now

After reading our post Friday about the future of 100 Avenue A, a few people asked us what was going on with 125 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Previously, the space had been home to a hookah bar and before that Prana, the health food shop.

As you may recall, there were plans in January 2012 to open a fish/meat market-restaurant concept here. (Read our post on it here.) CB3 later OK'd a liquor license for the applicants, a group that included Ray LeMoine, an owner of the late Bowery Beef inside the Bowery Poetry Club.

Nothing much has happened to the space the past year, save the arrival of more stickers and graffiti. We asked LeMoine for an update.

"A piece of the financing fell apart but we'd still like to do the project," LeMoine said, adding that he has been focusing his attention of late on Heathers, the bar on East 13th Street that he and his partners took over last summer.

He also said that they would likely try something aside from the seafood concept. Recent seafood arrivals include Lobster Joint and Bait & Hook, among others ... not to mention Union Market...

Maybe we'll revive those Starbucks-for-this-space rumors from 2010!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Fish and meat market, restaurant in the works for First Avenue