That coffee-and-crepes spot isn’t the only newcomer on First Avenue. On the other side of St. Marks Place, around the corner from where Cafe Rakka recently closed for renovations, Parmys Persian Fusion just opened, serving what it says is the “first and only Persian food in the East Village.”
“It’s a very diverse area, and there is also a big Persian community here in the East Village,” Amir said. “We looked all over Manhattan. Everyone says location, location, location, and we have St. Marks right over there. There are lot of young people and a lot of tourists.”
This isn’t Amir’s first stab at the restaurant business. He was previously an owner of Ravagh Persian Grill in New Jersey.
“My sister and I have been contemplating opening up something for a while. We spent 26 years or so working and we were ready to move on,” said Amir, who in his past corporate life was a general manager of several AMC theaters.
The space, previously home to a hookah lounge, had been unoccupied for two and a half years, Amir said.
With exposed brick and a low ceiling that the strapping owner could probably kiss if he turned his head upwards, Parmys is still looking to find its identity. “Right now we’re hoping that most of our customers will be Iranian and know Iranian food. They know what it should taste like, so if you could sell it to them you could sell it to, to…”
“People like me?” this B+B correspondent interjected.
Amir let out a deep belly laugh. “Yes, yes. We would love to have people like you.”
Parmys Persian Fusion, 125 First Ave., nr. St. Marks Pl.; (212) 335-0207