Persian menus can feel unfamiliar the first time. The dish names are in Farsi, the flavour profiles are unlike what most Dutch diners grew up eating, and the choice between five different stews is genuinely hard without knowing what they taste like. This guide walks you through DENA's menu from start to finish, so you can order confidently — or at least argue about it at the table.
Start With the Starters
DENA's starters are also available as lunch dishes, which tells you something about how substantial they are.
Kotlet — the Persian meat patty (€9.50)
Kotlet is a pan-fried patty made from minced meat mixed with potato, onion, and spices. Compact, savoury, slightly crispy on the outside. It is Persian fast food in the best sense of the phrase — simple, satisfying, and impossible to eat just one. Served as a sandwich at lunch.
Kuku Sabzi — the herb frittata (€8.50)
Kuku Sabzi is a thick, herb-heavy frittata, dominated by fenugreek, parsley, and chives. It is one of the most distinctively Persian dishes on the menu — the herb ratio to egg is almost reversed compared to a Western omelette. Naturally vegetarian. Good for sharing. If you are nervous about ordering something unfamiliar for a main, start here.
Fish Tartare (€12.50)
The fusion element on the starter list. Classic tartare technique with Persian seasoning — saffron, dried herbs, a clean acidity. If you want to understand what "Persian fusion" means in practice before committing to a main, this is the most efficient demonstration.
The Main Event: Which Stew Should You Order?
Persian mains are built around khoresh — stew served over rice. The stews are the heart of the cuisine. Choosing between them is the real decision of the meal. Here is how to think about it.
Fesenjoon — if you want something rich and unlike anything else (€28.00)
Fesenjoon (sometimes spelled Fesenjan) is duck breast slow-cooked in a sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses. The result is dense, dark, and deeply flavoured — sour-sweet-rich all at once. It is the most luxurious dish on the menu and the one that surprises people most. If you have never eaten Persian food before, Fesenjoon is the most memorable introduction.
Ghormeh Sabzi — if you want the classic Persian dish (€29.00)
Ghormeh Sabzi is widely considered the national dish of Iran. A herb stew made with lamb, kidney beans, and dried lime, cooked low and slow until the herbs become almost black and the lamb falls apart. The dried lime gives it a distinctive sour, almost bitter edge that cuts through the richness of the meat. If you want to understand what Persian home cooking tastes like at its most essential, this is the dish.
Khoresh Bademjan — if you love eggplant (€27.50)
Khoresh Bademjan is a lamb and eggplant stew with tomato, slow-cooked until the eggplant has completely absorbed the sauce. Deep, savoury, and the most approachable of the stews for people who are less familiar with Persian flavours. The tomato base makes it feel more familiar, while the spicing keeps it distinctly Persian.
Baghali Polo — for a celebration dish (€37.50)
Baghali Polo is fava bean and dill rice served with slow-braised lamb shank. In Iran, this is a dish for weddings and Nowruz (Persian New Year). The rice is fragrant, the lamb falls from the bone, and the fava beans and dill add a freshness that balances the richness of the meat. The most expensive main on the menu, and worth it.
The Rice: Do Not Skip It
Persian rice is not an afterthought. It is a discipline. At DENA's, the rice dishes are meals in themselves.
Zereshk Polo (€29.00) is saffron rice scattered with barberries and served with chicken. The barberries are small, tart red berries that pop against the golden saffron. This is one of the most visually beautiful dishes in Persian cooking — the contrast of red, gold, and white — and the flavour matches.
DENA's Surprise (€27.50) is the daily chef's selection. Whatever Dena decides to cook that day. This is the dish for regulars who trust the kitchen.
The Showpiece: Oven Grilled Fish (€37.50)
Fresh fish, sourced daily, grilled with Persian herbs and served with rice or potatoes. The fish changes with availability. This is DENA's most direct expression of the fusion approach — classical technique, local produce, Persian seasoning. If fish is your preference, this is the order.
Sides Worth Ordering
- Mast-o Moosir (€6.50) — yogurt with wild shallot and dill. Cooling and tangy. Good alongside any of the stews.
- Torshi (€5.50) — Persian pickled vegetables. Vinegary, sharp, a palate cleanser between bites.
- Persian Salad (€3.50) — fresh, simple. Good with everything.
What to Drink
DENA's has one of Den Haag's more interesting drinks lists for a small restaurant.
Saffron Beer (€4.00) is available alcoholic and alcohol-free. Brewed with real saffron. Slightly floral, golden, and lighter than most craft beers. It pairs well with everything on the menu.
Pomegranate Liqueur (€6.95) is the after-dinner drink. Deep red, sweet-tart, and unmistakably Persian.
The wine list includes a Persian Shiraz by the glass (€8.50) — a good choice with the heavier stews like Fesenjoon or Ghormeh Sabzi.
