【Background】
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 2:10 PM
About a year ago, I came across a Tiktok where an Iranian restaurant owner in Dubai detailed how to correctly eat chelow kebab [1], which is considered the national dish of Iran [2]. "Chelow" refers to the steamed rice component while "kebab" refers to a variety of roasted meats. I've never heard of the dish before and thought the eating process was so fascinating that I looked up Persian restaurants nearby that offered a similar setup, which is how I came across K Grill Kabob.
The restaurant is located in the Cali Saigon Mall, across the SF Supermarket and between Jin Tea House and 37.2 Degree Cafe & Curry. It is a little hidden, but if you see a tall gate with a yellow sign on top with the words "K Grill Kabob", you're in the right place. I hate the term "hole in the wall" since it seems like every reviewer uses it, but it's pretty appropriate for this restaurant.
Inside is quaint with matching maroon curtains and tablecloths. It's slightly glitzy with a crystal chandelier hanging in the center of the room while piano music plays overhead. A nice draft occasionally enveloped the room since the side door was open. (Supposedly, there's patio seating, which would've been nice since it was a sunny day out, but the employee didn't offer that option.) Inside, there's a decent amount of seating with four tables of 4, one larger row of 10, and three half booths of 4. Shakers of sumac and salt conveniently sit on each table.
There was only one other party of two eating when I arrived, so I'm not sure if the restaurant is busier during typical lunch hours.
【Food】
Menu: https://kgrillkabob.my.canva.site/main-menu
A banner at the top of the website contains a link to the daily special menu [3], which offers different discounted entrees depending on the day of the week. However, I asked the employee if they still honor the daily specials, and they said no. Instead, the regular menu has a general lunch specials section, available Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
I ordered:
* Koobideh combo ($15.99)
As mentioned above, I specifically visited K Grill Kabob because the koobideh combo looked extremely similar to the food in the TIktok. The order came with a mound of plain basmati rice and the golden basmati rice, colored with saffron, along with one charred tomato. And of course, it included the stars of the show: one beef skewer and one chicken skewer.
I followed the instructions in the video by first smashing the tomato and thoroughly mixing it with the rice. Then I generously sprinkled sumac over everything. Finally, I cut up the kebabs into smaller pieces. I made sure each bite contained a piece of meat and some of the tomato rice mixture.
The savoriness from the juicy meat paired nicely with the light, fluffy rice; the tomato and its juice added sweetness while the sumac added a nice hint of tartness. The skewers were very moist, so I wonder if the meat mixture contained any grated onion (which is typical according to Wikipedia [4]). I did have one small gripe since the beef skewer was a bit room temperature, but it still tasted great; I actually prefer the beef over the chicken, but both are tasty options.
I was pleasantly surprised since I also received some pita bread with a garlic dip as this wasn't advertised on the menu. I'm not sure if this is usually included with every order or maybe only certain items. The warm pita tasted great with the salty, garlicky dip.
The koobideh combo contained a lot of food and was extremely filling. I can't speak about the authenticity since it was my first time eating Persian food. From my preliminary research, it appears super traditional koobideh is made from ground lamb [4]. Regardless, my koobideh combo was delicious, and I definitely recommend visiting K Grill Kabob and trying their food.
【Service】
Since I arrived pretty late for lunch, it was super empty, and the employee seated me immediately. They gave me a few minutes to browse the menu. I ordered and received my food in a little less than 10 minutes. They checked up on me once to ask how everything was. I received my bill before I even finished eating. Overall, service was fast and friendly.
【Parking】
Since the restaurant is located in a big strip mall, there are tons of parking spots, making parking extremely easy.
【Tips】
There's a 4% checkout fee when using a credit or debit card, so bring cash if you want to avoid it.
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[1] https://www.tiktok.com/@iranzamindubai/video/7373240072142851335
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelow_kabab
[3] https://kgrillkabob.my.canva.site/dailyspecials
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabab_koobideh read more