Cool Find in Walnut Creek

I went out to a movie (The Men Who Stare at Goats) with a friend last week, and heard that Kabob House is a great Persian restaurant with good values. My friend was willing to give it a whirl, so that's were we found ourselves after the movie. When you enter the first thing you notice is the mouth-watering aroma of freshly cooking food.

As soon as we ordered, some fresh, hot Persian bread came out. I couldn't find it listed on the menu, but I believe it's called Taftoon. Whatever you call it, delicious is its second name.

A tossed salad is included with each meal. It was fresh and flavorful.

The Chicken Kabob Platter smelled SO good, and looked fresh and well cooked. My friend Stephanie said it was great!

I ordered from the extensive vegetarian menu section, finding the Spinach Treat intriguing. It is described as spinach and eggs sauteed with garlic and onions, served with saffron basmati rice. Somehow I expected something more omelet-like from this description than the savory, lemony spinach treat with bits of egg and topped with fresh tomatoes. I liked it!

I was one of those who couldn't choose between a rose water flavored ice cream, or Faloodeh (a Persian slushy - rice noodles coated in rose water, topped with a touch of lime juice and sour cherry syrup). So I had the Makhloot, which tops the rose-flavored ice cream with Faloodeh. It was a bit much, but what a delicious taste treat!

Stephanie knew what she wanted for dessert the minute she walked through the door - Baghlava. It was great that their rendition is so good. It was very flaky with the right pistacio sweetness. The restaurant seemed to be run by an extended, very warm and gracious Persian family. I would definitely go back.

Nice vegetarian selections

I felt in need of a fortifying yet light lunch the other day, and thought I'd see how Rumi was faring since the last visit. It is still bright and cheery with fresh flowers in the dining room.

And the freshly baked Taftoon bread came quickly with some sweet butter.

It was nice to see a vegetarian section which had a lot of choice. The rice was delicate and delicious, and the Vegetarian Gheymeh with its lime punch was a great antidote! The Vegetarian Gheymeh contains yellow split peas and caramelized onions and usually has cubes of tofu in it. The tofu was blended into the sauce in this case, which actually was quite good. The split peas and onions are simmered slowly in a tomato saffron sauce with a whole dried lime. I enjoyed it and hope to explore some of the other vegetarian choices in the future.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 1
Noncritical: 0
Last inspected: 4/20/2009

Previously reviewed:
March 17, 2009


Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Middle East/Mediterranean

Moroccan Market (credit: iStockphoto)

The number of restaurants in a single definition "Persian" seem to be dwindling in Marin County, so rethinking the category, it seemed time to update the name to be more inclusive. Pondering the name, I did a little research and found there are a number of overlays that would be more inclusive of restaurants with a Near/Middle/Greater Middle East, North African or Mediterranean flavor. The term Mediterranean seems to have some popularity as a self-appellation in the Marin food scene as well as Middle East, so I go with those as the new title.

I don't have all the distinctions between the cuisines, but if I know that there is a particular area that the restaurant is emphasizing, I'll put that in parenthesis beside it. If you have information about a restaurant I've left off or mislabeled, please write a comment. Happy eating!

Those I have tried

Fairfax
Fair Fix Cafe (Middle Eastern selections)

Mill Valley
Asqew (Fusion)
Cafe del Soul (Fusion)
Dipsea (Falafel Burger, Greek Salad, Gyros)
Rain Tree Cafe (Mediterranean Menu)
Shelter Bay Cafe (Lunch selections)
Strawberry Gourmet Delicatessen (Mediterranean selections)

Novato
Sam's Place (Falafel available)
The Garden (Mediterranean)

San Anselmo
Bubba's Diner (Gyros)
Insalata's (Mediterranean/Middle East)

San Rafael
Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers (Falafel available)
Cafe Gratitude (Raw Mediterranean selections)
Crepevine (Mediterranean selections)
Falafel Hut (Middle Eastern)
Hanna's (Italian/Mediterranean)
Hatam Perisan Kabab House (Persian)
Rumi (Persian)
West End Cafe (Middle Eastern selections)

Sausalito
Bridgeway Cafe (American with Persian options)
Louie's Deli Cafe (Mediterranean selections)

Those yet to discover

Fairfax
Chad's Grill & Garden Cafe (Falafel Pita available at lunch)

Markets/Grocerers

Hatam (Persian & Mediterranean)
Jasmine Market (Mediterranean & Persian)

Greater Bay Area

La Mediterranee (Berkeley)
Tajine (San Francisco)

A Persian Garden in every bite!

Rumi by Famous Kabob seemly popped up out of nowhere on Sunday in San Rafael's Montecito Plaza with an opening celebration that served about 1,000 people! No wonder I couldn't get any parking to shop at Trader Joe's! The waiter said that today was their 2nd day of opening, and the ink was barely dry on the menus.

I was brought the most wonderful, warm, freshly baked "Taftoon" bread while I was musing over the extensive and tempting menu. It was nicely scored so it was easy to break off and wrap around the butter, and later the herbs that came on the main dish. I passed by the traditional oven when I headed towards the restroom just before leaving, and saw with my own eyes the dough being hand rolled and scored before placing in the oven. A real 'wow' factor here.

And one thing I've discovered is that if you hear of authentic Persian soup being served anywhere, run, don't walk to get there. Persian soup is incomparable. The menu is very veggie-friendly with stars next to vegetarian dishes. However, the menu missed this one, which when I inquired, found it is actually vegetarian, although not so marked. The description my Aush Reshleh is that it is made with a variety of herbs such as parsley, cilantro, spinach and chives and a variety of beans like lentils, garbanzo and kidney beans as well as flour noodles. The soup is topped with kashk (similar to sour cream) and sauteed mint. This complex and delicious soup was very hearty and served in very large portion, such that you could definitely make a light meal out of this with the Taftoon.

For my entree I ordered the Prawns Kabob (Kabob Maygou) which was served with some herbs, a broiled tomato and a large fluffy pile of Perisan basmati rice. The jumbo prawns are butterflied, marinated and then roasted over an open flame. These were moist and succulent. I also liberally sprinkled some fresh sumac that was on the table over them.

Persian Gardens are famous for their beauty, and intended to be a 'paradise on earth'. Well, the flavors of this meal evoked that image for me, it was beyond delicious! The service and ambiance was stellar as well, and one of the staff (perhaps one of the owners) took my hand in both of his as I was leaving, sincerely asked how I liked the food, and if I'd come again. What an exquisite old world gesture. I was touched and said of course, and I'd bring some friends!

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 0
Yet to be inspected

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Quoi?!

Apadana Restaurant has closed. After experiencing some closing surprises last week, I took a detour on the way home from Petaluma a week ago Friday to be sure it was open before recommending it to a friend. He had a friend arriving from the Mid-West who is Persian and he wanted to treat her to a nice Persian dinner in Marin. It was open, candles burning on the tables, and we took a peek at the menu before we left, feeling happy that it was open and looked good. Alas, I get a call from a friend who accompanied them to the restaurant tonight, just week later, and he left a message that it was 'closed up as tight as a drum', and that the phone had been disconnected! At 7 p.m. on a Saturday, the week before Persian New Year it could only mean it had really closed.

When I received this message I was at a Global Partners for Development event honoring Alias and Mary Morindat of Arkaria Village, Tanzania. Elias and Mary are pictured above, along with friends from left, Sue Oaks and Linda Lea. We all were together on a trip that visited that village some years ago, so it was a happy reunion. Global Partners has done a number of water projects in the village that has greatly increased the health and safety of the villagers. Alias spoke to us about a situation that is directly affecting the Maasai people negatively, threatening their very existence. The government has been selling off their traditional lands in parcels, so that the nomadic people are cut off from the lands that they depend on for their livelihood. Not only the land, but the water rights. For example, one tract was sold to a hotel which now has the water rights for a spring that supported an entire region, but as precious as water is in East Africa, the use astounds the frugal water-using Maasai. The Maasai ladies would walk as far as 80 kilometers to pick up a 3 - day supply of water for a family of 5, 25 liters. The hotel that now owns the spring, has 120 rooms, with toilets that use 10 liters per flush. So you can see the negative environmental impact that happens. The existing people are displaced of land and resources, and the resources are squandered. It was quite an informative evening, and I'm glad that there is a way to effectively assist community leaders in Africa make it a better and self-sustaining place.

I had to take a photo of the back of Mary's kanga, which reads in translation "Congratulations Barak Obama"!

Persian Resources

There have been some changes in the Marin Persian restaurant scene in the last year as we've seen Hatam change hands, and Papillon cease operations. Hatam and Jasmine Market both have grocery sections for making your own Persian delights.

The Persian Restaurants in Marin are:

San Rafael
Apadana Restaurant
Hatam

If you are in Sausalito, and hungry for kabobs, the Bridgeway Cafe makes a kabob sandwich and some superb Perisan appetizers, although 99% of their fare is American. If you know of any Perisan delights I've missed in Marin, please leave a comment!

Succulent Kabobs

Hatam's changed hands last year and although I've been there to pick up Persian goodies from the grocery section, I'd yet to try their new dining experience in the front of the store. Although I loved the cobwebbed and authentic peek at much loved things under the old ownership, the new owner has brightened it up and moved the groceries to the back and a fresh breeze has encircled the place.

I decided to stay for dinner this time, and I was served a lovely fresh appetizer of lavash bread and fresh greens (green onions and copious amounts of fresh mint leaves), butter and feta. I must have been Perisan in a past life as I so take to rolling up fresh mint leaves in the soft lavash and eating it.

I ventured to a new drink choice, sour cherry juice and found it quite sweet/tart and refreshing.

Being venturesome, I next tried the Ashe Anar, a 'rich' soup of rice, herbs and pomegranate paste. The name literally is Pomegranate Soup. In the Iranian tradition, many special occasions are marked by different kinds of soups, and the bonds of friendship are thought to be forged by sharing a bowl. According to my favorite Persian cookbook "New Food of Life" Ashe Anar contains an amazing array of herbs and seasonings. It MUST be healthful with all of the following represented: onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, turmeric, parsley, coriander, mint, beet, chives, pomegranate paste, and angelica seeds. The richness came from this thick mix of ingredients (with the others like lentils, rice and beef stock), as there was no cream involved. Honestly it was a little too exotic for me, but I very much appreciate the authenticity and clarity of flavor of this ancient soup. Apparently this soup has been served since antiquity.

Next up was the Joojeh Kabob, or chicken kabobs with rice and saffron rice and grilled tomato. Fabulous! Especially with a liberal sprinkle of the fresh, fragrant sumac in the shaker on the table. And it has liberal anti-oxidant properties.

So then I ventured on by Bastanee, enticed by the rosewater flavor. A very smooth and refreshing end to a delightful meal served by a most friendly hostess.

Now I have butterflies... in the stomach. Imagine catching up on your Marin IJ reading to find the restaurant you just reviewed (Cafe Papillon) had closed! The story is wrong in one respect -- it did not close in 2007 since I was there for breakfast a few days ago... but I did a drive-by at lunch yesterday, and found, indeed it is very closed. The story reported that a new place will open there in spring, World Coffee Cafe.

The good news is that the delicious Bobby's F'o'c's'le Cafe, is coming back to San Rafael in a different location and becoming Bobby's Cafe. It will be open for breakfast, lunch & dinner soon after Super Bowl is over. It is on 4th street without the water (at least until the next rain - ha!), but with breakfasts as good as theirs, it shouldn't make a difference. I took a photo of their new location at lunch yesterday.

Butterflies. When I found out that Cafe Papillon serves breakfast every day, it immediately went on my must try list. Dad and I dropped by what was I believe the last sunny Sunday in Marin for some time. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and we were obviously earlier than most of their Sunday crowd since we were the only ones in the restaurant until the clock struck 10 a.m.

Dad wanted just a standard ham & cheese omelet with hash browns and wheat toast. He said it tasted just as he hoped.

While Dad ordered his standard hot chocolate (and enjoyed it), I decided to be a bit more adventurous, and tried the White Chocolate Latte (pictured). Good choice! Wow, that one is recommendable, but be prepared for its sweetness.

Personally, since this restaurant has a Persian flair, I was hoping to find something with that flair on the breakfast menu. No such luck. I tried the spinach, mushroom and cheese omelet with the freshly made hash browns. I was disappointed that the cheese was only the processed pre-sliced type placed on top of the omelet, when it would have been so easy to add some interest to the dish by putting some feta or another white cheese inside. But it was quite fresh, and tasted good, other than the oily processed cheese. The place was cheerful and clean, but the empty shelving could have used a bit more spiffy brightening as it made the place look rather unfinished the way it was. All in all a solid 'American' breakfast.

Last reviewed:
June 5, 2007

The World of Persia in Marin. Continuing on my trek to round up themes in Marin, I have eaten my way around all the Persian restaurants that I've found in Marin. Unfortunately, this was quite easy to do since there are only three. Persian cuisine is an ancient one full of spices, fruits and a wide variety of tastes. It's culinary flair has influenced surrounding states, such as Afghanistan, the south-Central Asian states, and the cuisines of North India and Pakistan.

The Persian Restaurants in Marin are:

San Rafael
Apadana Restaurant
Hatam's
Le Papillon -closed

I traveled to Fairfax to try Rumi's Garden Cafe, only to find it has morphed into Chad's Garden Cafe (which doesn't appear to be Perisan) and is not open for dinner. The Supper Club chose a Persian theme last year, for which I made ash e-jow. You can get the ingredients for a fine Persian meal at Hatam's. If you are in Sausalito, and hungry for kabobs, the Bridgeway Cafe makes a kabob sandwich and some superb Perisan appetizers, although 99% of their fare is American. If you know of any Perisan delights I've missed in Marin, please leave a comment!

Identity Crisis. I've been to Cafe Papillon several times, but not recently. Previously visiting at dinnertime, I found at lunch that the restaurant no longer serves dinner. Too bad, it was good.

I ordered the joojeh kabob. Moist chicken meat cooked on a skewer and seasoned with sumac, it was heavenly. It had a side of grilled tomato, slices of onion, and an iceburg salad, as well as french bread and butter and a mound of fragrant basmati rice. The price for this is $9.95. The only jarring note was the disconnected feeling from the staff. The waiter was pleasant enough, but the whole place had an air of disengagement, and an indecision about what it was really about. When I first started coming here it was billed as 'French', but when you went inside, the menu was nearly entirely Persian, except for the quiche. It is still the same, although it now bills itself as Mediterranean and Persian. There is a nice selection of sandwiches, quiche and the Persian menu to choose from. They also serve breakfast daily.

Persian Delights. Having passed all these beautiful flowers the other day on the way to India Village, I vowed to come back and try this place for dinner. What would the food be like in a place that paid so much attention to the detail of beautifully abundant flowers?

Apadana Restaurant is in a strip mall, and has a very nondescript sign in keeping with the rest of the mall. Don't bother looking up for it, just watch for the flowers!

A refreshing starter plate comes out automatically, with gently warmed lavash, mint, basil, onions, walnut pieces, Bulgarian feta, and butter.

Dad and I jointly ordered an Apadana Kebob Platter. It had a skewer of a spicy ground beef mixture, chicken, and steak. Tender, moist and delicious meats. There were two nicely grilled and pleasantly charred red ripe tomatoes on the platter as well.

This was accompanied by a platter of basmati rice, hot and fragrant.

Dad asked, "What's for dessert?", so out came the dessert menus. Dad was called by the bastani, a rosewater ice cream. He gave me a taste, and it was fresh and smooth.

I decided to try something that was completely unique sounding - faloodeh. It packed a most unusual textural and taste sensation. It was an ice-ball containing broken rice noodles which had a little crunchiness to them along with the slightly rose-tasting ice. This was splashed with some sweetened rose water, and a squeeze of lemon. Very refreshing for a hot day.

Persian Garden. Elle and I entered Hatam's on B street in San Rafael and were immediately greeted with the sweet smell of hyacinth placed artfully throughout the store. Might it be because of the Persian New Year just celebrated last week? I had promised Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms to reciprocate after the lovely introduction of La Dolce V in Sebastopol by indroducing her to a hidden treasure in Marin. Elle also blogged about our Persian adventure. Yes, this PhD journey is impinging on my blogging~ so this post is not as prompt as Elle's. I have to say that Hatam's was a hit. The chef/owner was gracious as usual and we started our eating adventure with some appetizers.

First the lavash with feta, mint, basil and butter came forth with our cardamom tea as customary.

Elle had a fresh cucumber, tomato and onion salad. She said it was crisp and went well with the richness of her next dish, the Fesenjoon.

I wanted to try the lamb's tongue, but it was not ready for lunch time, so I tried the koo koo, an Persian omelet with herbs.

Elle tried the Fesenjoon, which is a celebratory Persian lamb dish integrating ground walnuts and pomegranate into the sauce.

I thoroughly enjoyed the combination kebob plate, the spices were just right and the chicken was moistly succulent. The ground beef kebob was also just right.

Our host, as he sometimes does, brought out a tray of festive desserts as his treat, some palmiers and Persian marzipan which seemed to be flavored with rosewater and cardamom. After finishing this leisurely meal and catching up, we let ourselves loose on the small grocery store in front. I put my snaps of this in the slide show at the head of this post. There are so many cool and delightful things to try!

One of the interesting things were some miniature pears, which the owner informed us were specially grown from imported Persian seed and were the sweetest, most delicious pears he'd ever tasted. I bought some to take home to my father. This place has never failed to delight with exotic spices and interesting syrups and teas. I blogged about Hatam's a couple years ago when I discovered barbari bread and French feta with sour cherries. It is also my secret spice treasure trove as they prices are significantly less expensive for some of my favorites (e.g. dried hibiscus flowers) than other places. If you are interested in tea, you can buy a beautiful Persian tea set, and drink Persian tea the old-fashioned way by putting an irregularly shaped sugar cube in the front of your mouth, and sipping the hot, specially blended tea through it. If you have questions about how to use some of the things, the chef/owner is very patient with explanations. He also mentioned that he will have some Persian cookbooks in stock next week. This place is not fancy, but it is rich with charm and old world delights.