Bandar owner Behrooz Farahani (Courtesy photo)
Food, Gaslamp
Persian Elegance: Architect-Restaurateur Behrooz Farahani Approaches the 30-Year Mark For Bandar Restaurant
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Amid the kaleidoscope of restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter is a stylish spot for fine Iranian cuisine that has earned the love of food critics ever since it quietly opened on Fourth Avenue 27 years ago.
Enter Bandar Restaurant. Its name is synonymous with “world-famous chicken,” a succulent kebab option whose secrets owner Behrooz Farahani exclusively shared with us. In addition, he pointed out the professional architectural features he created for the restaurant, which has lent enviable staying power to the business with its welcoming, upscale vibe.
Behrooz resides downtown with his wife, Shokooh. Our conversation with him also touched on some comparisons he made of the Gaslamp’s restaurant scene between earlier years and now.
Downtown Condo Guys: What were you doing before opening Bandar in 1996?
Farahani: I moved from Iran to the U.S. in 1988 as an architect, and worked for an architectural company in San Diego.
Downtown Condo Guys: Did you have an interest in cooking at an early age?
Farahani: No, not until after I moved here and took cooking courses in Los Angeles. I also started to learn from my wife, who is the executive chef. We both cook at the restaurant, but I am the chef in the kitchen all of the time.
Downtown Condo Guys: Bandar occupies two storefronts with different addresses, correct?
Farahani: Yes. I have 837 and 845 Fourth Avenue together. There used to be two different entrances. But I closed one of them and now the two spaces connect. The dining room is in 845, and my kitchen is at 837.
Downtown Condo Guys: What architectural details have you created for the restaurant?
Farahani: I challenged my experience and made the connection to this historical building with my own personal design. Everyone loves our ceiling, which I made to look like ocean waves using real wood because “bandar” in Farsi means “port.” And we have large chandeliers made of small chains and glass that I designed and gave to a company to make.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are your most popular dishes?
Farahani: The chicken kebabs are winning the race. And second is koobideh (ground beef filet), and our marinated lamb chops.
Downtown Condo Guys: Can you share the technique for making those juicy, ultra-delicious chicken kebabs?
Farahani: They are halal chicken breast strips marinated overnight in onions, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, saffron, and a little salt and pepper. The secret to all of my menu is using the best quality ingredients on the market. Most of our ingredients like the saffron, dates, raisins, beans and spices are imported from the Middle East. Just like an architect, I spend on good materials to make a good design.
[Note: In a previous conversation during a lunch visit, Farahani explained that the breast strips are woven together into loose balls, and then char-broiled to order. Sporting a subtle orange tint from the saffron, you get eight to 10 pieces per order, along with basmati-saffron rice.]
Downtown Condo Guys: And how do you get your rice so light and fluffy?
Farahani: We buy the best rice on the market and soak it in water overnight and then boil it while using a couple of secret techniques to make it the best.
Downtown Condo Guys: Compared to now, what was the Gaslamp like when you first opened? And what were some of the popular restaurants near you?
Farahani: The area was more organized, and the city was strict about everything. Everybody had to have a permit to do or sell anything. It was more of a family atmosphere. The homeless now is the most important issue that the city has to do something about. But we have always been busy, from 1996 to now. Even during the pandemic when we did takeout only, I never closed the business for one day.
The restaurants I remember back then were La Strada and Croce’s, which are no longer, and Cafe Sevilla when it was on Fourth Avenue before it moved to Fifth. Also Osteria Panevino for Italian, which is still there. And one year after we opened, Hard Rock Cafe came in.
Downtown Condo Guys: Can we expect to see Bandar operating for many more years to come?
Farahani: Absolutely. We will be in business in 2026 for our 30th anniversary–and after that. My wife and two daughters will organize that celebration because they have good taste.
Downtown Condo Guys: Any plans to expand outside of the Gaslamp Quarter?
Farahani: We have had a lot of offers from different investors and companies to expand to other cities, but I do not want to. At least not at this moment.
