Beluga Caviar is Black Gold: MUNCHIES Guide to Tehran (Part 3/3)

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In this episode of The MUNCHIES Guide to Tehran, Gelareh feeds tankfuls of paddlefish and beluga—valued at up to $35,000 per fish—at the nation's first home of farm-raised caviar, Shilat Fish Farm. Eventually, these prized bottom-dwellers will be killed and harvested in a factory in Northern Iran, but currently they live in conditions similar to their species' natural ocean habitat. 

In the spirit of farm-to-table fine dining, Gelareh gets the royal treatment at Li Dona, a members-only restaurant and jazz lounge. She learns that when it comes to fish eggs, bigger is not necessarily better, as she tastes spoonfuls of "black gold" on toast served with butter, onion, egg, pepper, and lemon juice.