San Francisco’s Persian restaurants tend to serve a familiar lineup of grilled kabobs and meaty stews, but a newcomer is specializing in the less-represented cuisine of Northern Iran and its vegetarian-friendly bounty of smoked rice, fresh herbs and sour flavors.
Komaaj Kitchen at the Laundry recently opened in the Mission District, offering takeout, delivery and outdoor dining at the gallery and events space. While the Laundry remains otherwise closed because of the pandemic, Komaaj chef-owner Hanif Sadr took over the cafe space to serve the Laundry’s coffee and Middle Eastern wines alongside dishes like kuku sabzi, a dark green frittata packed with herbs ($8.50), and sabzi katte ($8), herbed rice with pickles, goat cheese and the option of smoked trout ($6) glazed in pomegranate molasses.
Sadr started Komaaj five years ago as an ambitious, multifaceted food company dedicated to sharing Iranian culture. There’s a catering arm and a pop-up series that gradually grew Komaaj’s following, particularly in the East Bay. Until the pandemic hit, this year was set to be a major time for expansion for Komaaj, including this location at the Laundry, which was originally scheduled to open mid-March.
While Komaaj’s pop-ups were typically multi-course, elegant feasts, Komaaj Kitchen in San Francisco is a more casual and accessible version. In addition to the fact that dishes hover around $10, the menu includes vegan options. There are also bottled sauces and dips available to take home such as maast labou ($7.50), a sumac-flecked beet yogurt, and dalar ($7.50), a fermented herb salad dressing. The restaurant seats 18 people outdoors and will be able to add 16 inside after the pandemic.
In addition to the delayed opening of Komaaj Kitchen, Calabash, Komaaj’s collaboration with Nigel Jones of Jamaican restaurant Kingston 11 and Azalina Eusope of Malaysian spot Mahila, was looking ready for an April debut in Oakland, but that has been putt off until next year. Another location was solidified for Menlo Park, the plans for which have been totally scrapped.
Komaaj’s catering side kept the company alive during the pandemic, delivering family-style meals around the Bay Area on weekends. He started Komaaj Preservation Lab to preserve foraged or donated ingredients, and the results are available for purchase at Komaaj Kitchen. Ultimately, those endeavors and federal loans allowed Sadr to open the San Francisco restaurant.
Despite the challenges, Sadr and Komaaj business manager Farshad Esmaeili said this is an important time to open Komaaj Kitchen.
“Since this year people are not going back to Iran, not traveling anywhere, we think Iranians are now so homesick,” Esmaeili said. “They need a place to come and hopefully feel a bit like they’re home.”
They also want Komaaj to serve as a place for non-Iranians to connect with Iranians and Iranian culture, he added, “because this year is an election year, and the challenges between Iran and the U.S. have made our lives much harder here.”
With President Donald Trump’s travel ban and the pandemic, Sadr’s wife has been stuck in Iran for three years with no visa. “Many Iranians are waiting for their spouses,” he said, “their parents, their kids, their friends.”
Komaaj Kitchen at the Laundry. Noon-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. 3359 26th St., San Francisco. 415-598-8286 or komaaj.com
Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
The Link LonkSeptember 17, 2020 at 01:44AM
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Iranian pop-up Komaaj debuts its herb-packed fare in a new SF cafe - San Francisco Chronicle
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