GA_021617

22 | February 16, 2017 | The glencoe anchor dining out
glencoeanchor.com
Cuisine coming your way
Mirani’s At Home
offers quality food
for busy eaters
Jacqueline Glosniak
Contributing Editor
Another busy day at the
office. Hours spent chauffeuring
the kids back and
forth. Laundry, errands
and doctor appointments.
For those who find
themselves in a jam when
it comes to preparing a delicious
and unique menu
for dinner, Winnetka couple
Kaveh and Madeleine
Mirani have just the perfect
solution — a dining
concept that concocts fine
restaurant quality food for
either deliver or pickup.
The Miranis, who have
owned and operated eateries
in Winnetka for the past
three decades, recently introduced
their newest venture,
Mirani’s At Home, in
an effort to tap into a dining
market they say exists
too few and far between.
“We noticed that many
times, in this area — generally,
this is a trend that
is happening everywhere
in the country — people
don’t go out as much because
people have children,
they come home
during the week and are
tired, so we thought that
right now, they don’t really
have that much of a choice
in takeout food,” he said.
To understand the Miranis’
passion, one must get
to know the couple’s background.
Kaveh, who was born
in Tehran, Iran, has a
doctorate in economics
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MIRANI’S AT HOME
567 B Lincoln Ave.,
Winnetka
www.miranisathome.
com
(847) 446-4646
4-8 p.m. seven days a
week
Pre-ordered meal
deliveries begin at
3:30 p.m.
and began his career as a
university professor, and
Madeleine, who hails from
the Netherlands, originally
worked in the field of foreign
affairs as a diplomat.
More than 30 years ago,
when Madeleine’s parents
came to visit the couple
in the U.S., Madeleine
said her parents remarked
about how shocking it was
that there was a lack of European-style
coffee shops
and eateries. It was at that
point the Miranis decided
to change the course of
their careers and venture
into the world of food.
“So, we did research in
New York and Europe, and
started making the gourmet
deli,” Madeleine said.
“[We] felt there was a void
in the market.”
While Madeleine acknowledges
that the hospitality
scene has changed,
she believes they are still
venturing into a market
where there is a clear need.
Originally, the Miranis
opened their first establishment,
aptly named
Mirani’s, 24 years ago on
Green Bay Road as a gourmet
delicatessen, French
brasserie-type restaurant.
“Gradually, customers
that would come and take
out food would say, ‘The
food is so good, why not
open for lunch?’” Madeleine
said.
Eventually, Mirani’s became
more of a lunch restaurant,
later expanding to
a location on Elm Street in
2006. There, the Miranis
were able to focus on a
full-fledged French bistro
menu.
After closing Mirani’s
last year to focus on their
new concept, they officially
opened Mirani’s At
Home on Jan. 16, offering
a combination of French,
Italian and other Mediterranean
cuisines. Additionally,
the Miranis ensure
hints of their Persian and
Dutch ethnic foods are
also present on the menu.
Diners can choose from
a variety of a la carte
chicken, seafood, pasta,
rice and salad dishes and
then stop by the business
in person or place orders
online or over the phone,
with speedy delivery ensured
within 20 minutes
Mirani’s At Home’s chicken Parmigiano ($14) features
breaded chicken breast atop a bed of spaghetti in marinara
sauce. Chris Pullam/22nd Century Media
of ordering thanks to a
collaboration with Uber-
RUSH. Deliveries have a
$7 flat fee.
With food from Mirani’s
At Home, Madeleine ensures
the quality of the
food is just as stellar as the
old Mirani’s, but with the
perk of prices being drastically
slashed because of
less overhead.
During a recent visit to
Mirani’s At Home, 22nd
Century Media editors
chatted with the Miranis
while sampling menu
items.
The chicken Parmigiano
($12), which includes
breaded chicken
breast and spaghetti with
marinara sauce, is a staple
Italian dish. The spaghetti
is lightly sauced and the
thin chicken slices are not
heavily breaded.
The mustard crusted
salmon ($15), one of the
restaurant’s staple dishes,
features a breaded salmon
with mustard sauce served
over French lentils and
fresh vegetables. The outside
of the fish is crunchy
but has a soft and firm inside.
The dish undoubtedly
stands out for its mustard
flavoring that’s not too
strong or overwhelming
for the natural flavoring of
a well-cooked salmon.
The Northbrook Tower
Editor Matt Yan’s favorite
dish was the Mediterranean
chicken kebab ($11),
which includes diced
chicken marinated in olive
oil and signature Mirani’s
spices and served with
grilled vegetables. Sour
cherry saffron rice can
also be added to the plate
for $6. The chicken’s light
grilling lends great balance
to the uniquely cooked
grains.
For $17, the steak classique
features thick,
8-ounce cuts of prime
sirloin simmered in a red
wine sauce. Our portion
was served with a side of
bistro frites ($4), or french
fries, which were not overly
greasy and not salty.
The fettuccine alfredo
($11) noodles were perfectly
cooked al dente —
unlike many alfredo sauces,
it was not too heavy.
Shrimp can be added for
an additional $4.
The beet salad ($7) included
greens, walnuts,
blue cheese and vinaigrette
dressing, a great option for
vegetarians.
Finally, the Kurdish red
lentil soup ($5 for a small,
$11 for a large) offers a
hearty and warm complement
to be served alongside
any of the Mirani’s At
Home dishes.
Mirani’s At Home also
accommodates orders for
small or large catering
events and is currently
building a larger menu for
corporate fine dining.