Up Front: Persian Fare San Diego Union Tribune

While San Diego has a large Iranian-American population, Los Angeles' community is bigger. "Tehrangeles," as it's been called, also has more Persian restaurants than we do. Of our county's offerings, we vouch for the high-end food at Bandar (845 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp. (619) 238-0101; bandarrestaurant.cm Entrées $17-$31. Full bar.)

"Bandar" means port or harbor in Persian, owner Behrooz Farahani explained. He was born in Bandar Abbas, a port city on the Persian Gulf, ad his restaurant's wood ceiling ripples like waves on an inland sea. Striking as the setting is, Bandar's dishes – like Fesenjan (a sweet pomegranate-and-walnut stew), Baghali Polo (baby spring lamp shank calmly steeping in a bowl of tomato sauce and herbs) and Kabob Barg (charbroiled filet mignon) – are priced not far above the casual restaurants with picture-menus. Be prepared for Bandar's over-the-top rice servings. The Albalu Polo rice was two cups of basmati, a jar's worth of black cherries, and great with knobs of charbroiled Chicken Kabob. A side of dill rice with lima beans was about three cups of basmati.

Dining Around: Gaslamp's Bandar is ‘Port' of Persian San Diego Union Tribune

Behrooz Farahani looked around his busy restaurant and with a proud smile said: "I am so surprised and pleased how Americans have embraced Persian cuisine. People of all backgrounds are coming in, and returning." When that Persian cuisine is enjoyed at the Gaslamp it is no surprise. Bandar, now in its tenth year, has garnered more rave reviews and awards than most restaurants I know of, including several from the renowned Zagat Guide.

Persian food is fantastic; it is simple, not confusing; healthful and light. It won't bog you down because of too much oil and cheese, and it is full of natural flavors – and Bandar excels with it.

Bandar is open for lunch and dinner and will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and again on New Year's Eve (with a special dinner party package) and New Year's Day, too. Here we'll focus on the dinner menu. For starters, try the Hummus Classic (pureed garbanzo beans and sesame dip, olive oil and lemon), or try the delicious Hummus Avocado, with a hint of cilantro thrown in. The stuffed grape leaves and como platter also are good appetizers.

One of the most popular and traditional dishes here are the kebabs. In fact, most meat dishes consist of chunks of charbroiled, marinated chicken tenderloin, filet mignon or lamb tenderloin The meats are seasoned differently such as is the case with Soltani (a combo of filet mignon and a strip of ground filet), the signature Adas Polo (tender, juicy chunks of charbroiled chicken that have been marinated in saffron, onion, lemon and a special sauce, served with grilled vegetables and basmati and saffron rice. Also of note is the lamb shank, the Atlantic salmon (charbroiled and garnished with caramelized garlic, lemon juice, saffron, spices and vegetables).

The other traditional specialties are the stews, and you'll find some hearty ones here like the Ghormeh Sabzi (lamb, red beans, lime and herbs), the eggplant stew and the chicken stew. For dessert the pistachio/saffron/rosewater ice cream with fruit is a delicious fragrant delight. Find Bandar at 825 Fourth Ave. Call (619) 238-0101.

Bandar Restaurant Is a Tasty Adventure In The Gaslamp San Diego Daily Transcript

In San Diego, a restaurant that bills its fare as "Fine Persian Cuisine" might risk scaring off our city's less adventurous diners. First, the word "Fine" simply sounds like it means "expensive" to many business lunchers. Next, "Persian" conjures visions of mosaic minarets, flying carpets and food that's possibly too spicy or exotic to be digestible.

Fortunately for Bandar Restaurant, Persian (or Iranian) food can please the most down-to-earth, meat-and-potatoes palates. The Gaslamp eatery, kitty-corner to Horton Plaza, does a great job of presenting one of the Middle East's most delicate and complex cuisines, offering large portions at fair prices in a laid-back yet elegant setting.

We started with the Combo Appetizer ($11.95), a nice way to munch and peruse the menu while catching up with the table companions. Along with a basket of lavosh, the unleavened Persian bread (a rectangular, thinner cousin to the flour tortilla), comes dipping rights to Kashk O'Bademjan (a savory eggplant puree). Nearby lay the Must O'Mousier, a yogurt and shallot puree; Dolmeh (stuffed grape leaves, much more refined than the Greek version); and a hunk of tangy Feta Cheese.

As bread goes, lavosh runs a bit on the floppy side. The best way to secure a dip is to tear off a small square and bend it between thumb and forefinger as you near the target. If your fingers meet at the fold, there's no risk of sullying them in yogurt sauce.

Our dipping skills improved to the point where we enjoyed scooping up chunks of Shirazi Salad ($3.95) (chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and parsley) with our bread spoons.

Newbies, take note: According to proprietor Behrooz Farahani, the most popular lunch entrée feature the boneless chicken. The lunch menu features three entrees with the tender charbroiled chicken: Boneless Chicken Kabob ($4.95), Adas Polo ($6.95). The difference lies in the style of rice accompanying each dish.

With offices just around the corner from Bandar, regulars include Sledgehammer Theatre co-founder and artistic director-in-residence Kirsten Brandt.

On a recent visit, Feerst ordered a vegetarian dish, Gheimeh Bademjan ($6.95), or "as atonement". The split pea, eggplant and tomato stew tasted less holy and more hearty –especially when bites alternated with tastes of the saffron-coated Basmati rice that accompanied all of our dishes.

On each table is a shaker full of red powder – sumac, made from some powerfully, flavorful flowers. Shake a bunch over a bite of rice and try it; chances are you'll be shaking out some more before your meal is done. Sumak can be purchased at most Middle Eastern groceries; it perks up grilled dishes and rice like nothing else.

Kirsten Brandt enjoyed the Boneless Chicken Kabob mentioned previously; however, another diner frowned over his Cornish Game Hen ($6.95), a house specialty, featuring skewed and charbroiled fowl parts. Small pieces of flesh, many with bones, simply didn't stand up to the neighboring diner's more succulent and generously portioned Shish Kabob ($7.95), which alternated juicy charbroiled chunks of long-marinated filet mignon with slices of grilled onion, green pepper and tomato.

Farahani, who opened Bandar three years ago, managed San Diego's first Persian eatery, located in the Bay Park area, for 11 years. Business is booming at Bandar; in fact, the cuisine is growing so popular that a competing Persian restaurant opened around the corner.

Perhaps San Diego diners are becoming more adventurous with their food than we thought.

Iranian architect draws up new career in the Gaslamp San Diego Daily Transcript

The B Lounge offers diners an intimate, ethnic place for drinks

When Behrooz Farahani, a downtown restauranteur, decided to leave Tehran, Iran, in 19821 with his wife and two daughters after the revolution ended, he regretted parting with family, friendsand a successful architectural practice. But he was determined that with a strong work ethic, he could make a good living anywhere.

"I said to myself, ‘I am a hard worker and I can make money anywhere in the world,'" he remarked.

Having ventured first to Vienna, Austria, he then visited Los Angeles and made a side trip to San Diego, where he decided to establish new roots and enter the culinary trade. His determination and immigrant zeal paid off, and so did his architectural background.

Earlier this month, Farahani and his wife, Shokooh, opened their third Gaslamp Quarter venue, the B Lounge. Their first, Bandar Restaurant, was opened in 1996, and five years later they opened Bandar Grille. All are on Fourth Avenue north of the Hard Rock Café, across form Horton Plaza.

As Jimmy Parker, the Gaslamp Quarter Association's executive director, pointed out, the Farahanis have the only family-run business that has expanded three times on the same downtown street aside from Ingrid Croce, who owns and operates Croce's.

And while some say the area has become saturated with clubs, Parker, whose job is to market the entertainment district, says the B Lounge is unique.

"It's more intimate," he said, adding that the interior, which Farahani designed and executed, gives "a very sensory impression."

"There's a warmth to it, and I think it's different from other clubs because the textures that were used, from the chain shaded chandeliers to the beaded wall coverings.

"Behrooz is going to hate me for saying this, because everybody's going to do it, but the firs thing I did when I went in the place was paw the wall," Parker said.

One of the most intriguing design features, however, is a series of arches inset with colored lighting that extend from the bar area to the back of the club.

Multitalented man

During the year or so of construction, Farahani did double duty, working as the restaurants' chef and renovating the 2,000 square-foot B Lounge. He also helped to tear out an opening from the club to the adjacent Bandar-Grille.

For his designing and construction efforts, Farahani estimates that he shaved a lot of money off the cost of opening the lounge. But he declined to say what the project cost.

"If I hadn't done a lot of work myself, I probably would have spent about $2 million," he said.

His motive for opening the lounge was to provide Bandar's regular clientele with an option of relaxing and having drinks before or after their meal, he explained. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the club will feature the type of disc jockey music that caters to Gen Xers. Bottle service will be available, but there will be no cover charge.

With a combined space of 5,700 square feet among the three venues, Farahani will be able to accommodate more requests for meetings and events, he added.

"I'm trying to appeal to all ages," Farahani said. "We want all of Bandar's patrons to enjoy the club."

Keeping the customer satisfied

"It's all about serving the customers and meeting their needs, and when you work in a particular community day in and day out, you understand how to meet their needs," said Steve Zolezzi, the executive vice president of the San Diego Food and Beverage Association.

Almost every day, including holidays, the Farahanis can be found at their restaurants, and aside from excellent Middle Eastern cuisine, that's what draws people in.

"It's a family business," said Parker. "No bones about it."

"In this world of successful, big-box establishments, you have to love being able to keep in touch with mom-and-pop businesses that can give you that great hometown feeling.

"You also have the comfort of knowing that you are dealing with the people that own the establishment rather than a corporation headquartered somewhere else. When I go into Bandar for lunch, Behrooz comes by and says, ‘hi', and I like that. That's part of what keeps me going back."

Executive Profile: Behrooz Farahani San Diego Business Journal

Behrooz Farahani never envisioned becoming a restaurant owner half way around the world from his home city of Teheran.

But shortly after he immigrated with his family to Vienna following the Iranian revolution, he came to Los Angeles in 1988 to attend the wedding of his niece. From there he took a side trip to La Jolla to visit a friend, Khosro Rahmati, with whom he'd worked as an architect in Teheran.

"I fell in love with San Diego and we stayed," he said. The friend, who owns Jeff's Burgers in La Jolla, facilitated Farahani's introduction into the culinary trae, which eventually led to the opening of Bandar Restaurant in Downtown's Gaslamp Quarter in 1996. In 2001, Farahani opened another restaurant, Bandar Grille, a few doors down on Fourth Avenue.

He credits his wife, Shokooh, for teaching him to cook and supplying the restaurants recipes that have been perfected through the years.

"She had a good student," he said.

Business Philosophy

Essential philosophy about running a restaurant business: I've always been more concerned about imparting the art of cooking Persian food than worrying about the bottom line.

Best way to keep a competitive edge as a restauranteur: Deliver a consistently top-quality product and good service and customers will keep coming back.

Latest industry trend: Organically grown foods are gaining popularity.

Goals yet to be achieved: I want to design an architecturally unique building in San Diego that will stand the test of time.

Judgment Calls

Best career decision: Moving to San Diego.

Worst career decision: Not buying the building that houses Bandar Restaurant when it was offered to me for $1.3 million in 1998. I didn't have the money at the time and I've regretted it ever since.

Mentor: My wife. She has been both my mentor and my partner. We'd worked together seven days a week, sometimes 17 hours a day, for 10 years in this business before taking our first family vacation.

I've been told I'm: A perfectionist.

True Confessions

What I like best about my job: The people who dine with us and hearing how they appreciate our food.

What I like least about my job: When a good employee leaves.

Pet peeve: Poorly designed and poorly built buildings, either residential or commercial.

Most valuable lesson learned: Persistence offers higher rewards than genius.

Person I'd most like to meet: Celine Dion

Most-respected competitor: None, really.

Greatest passions: Culinary arts, architecture and design.

If I had it to do all over I'd: Change nothing in my life.

What I'd be doing if I wasn't doing this: Designing and building buildings.

Predilections

Favorite quote: "Talented people create but it takes a genius to create something entirely original."

Favorite author: Henry James

Favorite status symbol: Designing and executing the décor of my own restaurants.

Dream vacation spot: Tahiti

If I could have any car in the world it would be: The latest model of the Toyota 4Runner the make I currently drive.

What's on the Menu: Paradise Found San Diego Business Journal

A few years ago, while walking in the Gaslamp District of Downtown San Diego, I met restaurant owner Behrooz Farahani who invited me to visit Bandar, his place on Fourth Avenue that boasts a very healthy menu of Persian cuisine. During the early 1990s, Farahani and his wife, Shokooh, visited the United States where they fell in love with San Diego. They immediately decided to leave their home and family in Iran and move to our city by the bay.

"Farahani, who graduated from the University of Tehran as a certified architect, used his skills to remodel Historic Building No. 16 in the Gaslamp District. This is where he and his wife began to create their authentic Persian restaurant. Because the site is historic, many restrictions were imposed. For example, Farahani could not tear down the old original brick wall. Instead he and his wife had to wash nearly 100 years of dirt and grime off each and every brick.

They plastered two other walls and added flattering columnar lamps to light their restaurant. But ambiance alone does not make a great restaurant. Farahani studied recipes from his family and created a menu that boasts the best Persian cuisine in Southern California.

The menu at Bandar offers bold flavors such as garlic, onion, dill, and mint, giving diners new treats for their taste buds. If you are on a diet or watching calories, you will be happy to know that Persian food is primarily fat free. Bandar chefs use 100 percent pure vegetable oil, with no artificial ingredients or additives.

As a starter, the Dolmeh, or stuffed grape leaves, is very popular. This dish features special homemade cooked grape leaves, stuffed with rice, split peas, tarragon, parsley, cilantro, chives, and rosemary. It is $10. With a glass of wine and some good conversation, this is a nice way to begin an evening at Bandar.

If you are looking for something to warm you on the inside, the vegetarian soup is perfect. There are lentils, garbanzo beans, fresh herbs, Persian noodles, and a dab of homemade yogurt on top of this soup that is garnished with fresh mint and garlic. It is made fresh at the restaurant and has a wonderful taste. It's $6 for a large bowl.

Lamb is the meat of choice at Bandar and they offer a great flair in its preparation. The boneless kabob consists of large chunks of charbroiled baby spring lamb alternating with fresh vegetables. This dinner is $21. If lamb is not to your liking, you can get a similar plate featuring chunks of filet mignon for $24. All dinners are served with fluffy basmati rice, topped with saffron rice and charbroiled tomato.

There is also a wonderful combination special called the Bandar Special that includes your choice of any two charbroiled kabobs, beef, lamb, chicken, or fish, served with grilled vegetables for $39. This is more than enough food for two people to share.

Another dish, Ghormeh Sabzi is a savory stew of veal shank, cooked with beans, lime, and fresh herbs, and served with rice. This dish will find you cleaning your plate and lapping up the tasty sauce that comes with this dinner. It's $12. The restaurant also features an eggplant stew and chicken stew.

For those who like a truly vegetarian style of eating, the Ghemeh Bademjan or eggplant stew, is sensational with eggplant, yellow split peas, onions, in a tomato base sauce with grilled vegetables. This item is also $12.

Behrooz Farahani and his family have worked hard to make this restaurant thrilling to the taste buds as well as an exciting place to visit. They offer valet parking and they accept reservations. The next time you are looking for a truly different menu, give Bandar a try.

Persian Pride San Diego Business Journal

Behrooz Farahani began celebrating Thanksgiving shortly after he and his family moved here from Iran 15 years ago.

But preparing a stuffed turkey as the centerpiece of a festive meal was not a new concept for Farahani, who operates Bandar Persian Restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter.

In Iran, turkey is sometimes stuffed with a sweet-and-sour dressing of rice and dried fruit, then roasted, he noted.

"That's like a fancy food, so usually they cook it for a special occasion like a wedding or a nice party." Farahani said. "They use it as a very good, expensive food, not as a cheap food."

Farahani owned an architectural firm in Iran, but during a visit to San Diego, he and his family decided to stay here.

He called on his architectural training in remodeling the historic Gaslamp Quarter building that now houses Bandar. Farahani soon will open a second restaurant, a more casual café, three doors away.

The food at Bandar represents a cuisine that dates back to the 5th century B.C. Persian dishes tend to be subtly spiced and to feature ingredients such as saffron, yogurt, rice, pomegranates, dates, and fresh herbs.

Farahani does most of the cooking at Bandar. His wife, Shokooh, acts as managers, and his 22 year-old twin daughters, Tiba and Golsa, serve as hostess, waitress or assistant manager.

Around Thanksgiving, Farahani sometimes offers Persian-style stuffed turkey as a special at the restaurant. The turkey is seasoned with salt, garlic and lime juice, and the rice stuffing is studded with tart red barberries.

The berries "make it more colorful and give it more flavor," he said.

Another dish that Farahani sometimes offers as a holiday special is a turkey and wheat puree called Haalim. The porridge-like dish is garnished with cinnamon, confectioner's sugar and melted butter.

In Iran, every morning there are some cafes that serve it, and people go early and buy it and eat it as breakfast," he said.

For their Thanksgiving dinner at home, the family often has guests, "some Persian friends and some American friends," said Farahani. He cooks a stuffed turkey in the Persian style, and his daughters contribute American side dishes such as mashed potatoes and gravy.

For dessert, the family has Persian ice cream. "It's made with rose water, pistachios and saffron," Farahani said.

Some football watching is also likely to be on the Thanksgiving Day schedule. Learning to appreciate the American game took quite a bit longer for Farahani than adopting the custom of serving a turkey-based feast.

But after several years of watching, he's hooked: "Now my favorite games to watch are American football and soccer."

Tasting Gaslamp: Bandar Restaurant Gaslamp Quarter Connection – Vol. 1 No. 3

Add the Gaslamp Quarter Connection to the long list of those who recommend Bandar for fine Persian cuisine. This restaurant located across form Horton Plaza (825 4th Ave) in the Gaslamp Quarter offers a vast array of favorites found in restaurants offering Middle Eastern cuisine. Not knowing much about Persian food, but having heard the ravings of so many of my friends, I was very much looking forward to doing this month's feature. I was looking forward to not only tasting the food at Bandar, but was as interested in how this restaurant, hailed by so many, came to sit on 4th avenue between E and F streets in the Gaslamp Quarter of downtown San Diego.

After a trip to San Diego while living in Iran, owner/operator Behrooz Farahani decided that this was the place that he would like to raise his family. It has been nearly 11 years since he came to San Diego with his wife and twin daughters from Arak, Iran. He left his own architecture firm and moved to the Golden State. Using his love for architecture, he has transformed a space in this 93 year-old historic building (once thought of as a less enchanting area of Gaslamp) into Bandar – an exciting atmosphere of dining and culture that all can experience and enjoy. It struck me as the perfect place for a quiet dinner with a loved one. A perfect compliment to a couple wanting to experience romance and exotic gourmet cuisine surrounded by beautiful art, as well as friendly people. It is not limited however to quiet two person dinners, and provides not only an upstairs area for banquets and parties, but can accommodate catering as well. All in all it is quite a place – seemingly able to meet a variety of your particular needs, whatever they may be.

After a trip to San Diego while living in Iran, owner/operator Behrooz Farahani decided that this was the place that he would like to raise his family. It has been nearly 11 years since he came to San Diego with his wife and twin daughters from Arak, Iran. He left his own architecture firm and moved to the Golden State. Using his love for architecture, he has transformed a space in this 93 year-old historic building (once thought of as a less enchanting area of Gaslamp) into Bandar – an exciting atmosphere of dining and culture that all can experience and enjoy. It struck me as the perfect place for a quiet dinner with a loved one. A perfect compliment to a couple wanting to experience romance and exotic gourmet cuisine surrounded by beautiful art, as well as friendly people. It is not limited however to quiet two person dinners, and provides not only an upstairs area for banquets and parties, but can accommodate catering as well. All in all it is quite a place – seemingly able to meet a variety of your particular needs, whatever they may be.

Considering the vast menu and wide variety of choices, I was appreciative that our hosts were gracious enough to prepare a sample platter for us. Any decisions made from the delicious choices of this menu are hard to come by. Our server presented our managing editor and me with three of their most highly recommended items. The Shish Kabob they prepare is a large portion of fine cuts of marinated, extremely juicy, chunks of filet mignon. These huge beef pieces are skewered and charbroiled to perfection along with fresh tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers ($14.95). These two dishes were similar in style, but provided a flavor which distinctly separated each. They were both outstanding and I would recommend them for hearty meat eaters. For those of you who enjoy a lighter meat dish, the final addition to our meal was the boneless chick kabob. These are chunks of charbroiled boneless chicken marinated in Bandar's special sauce of saffron, onion, and fresh lemon juice. They were tender an flavorful and this became the personal favorite of mine, as well as our managing editor. At a mere $9.95 it is a steal. All the dinners are served with basmati rice that is imported fresh to Bandar, and each table is supplied with the lavash (flat bread) which serves as a wonderful compliment to any part of your meal.

For dessert we took our server Allec's recommendation of the Faloodeh ($3.95). For anyone who would like to experience a truly Persian treat, this is the dessert for you. It is a frozen dessert made of shaved iced flour, sugar, and rose water. I had never tasted rose water and it offers a distinct and "aromatic" flavor to this Persian dish. Combined with starch noodles, it was topped lime juice and sour cherries. I must say, I have never experienced such an interesting combination of texture and flavors in my life. For those wanting than authentic Persian experience, it is a must. Having stuffed ourselves we decided that it would not be a complete meal without a glass of their delicious Persian tea.

I was extremely impressed with the quality and quantity of food served at this architect's restaurant. With prices on diner entrees ranging from $7.95 to $14.95, there is nowhere I know that can beat its exotic menu. The food is reasonably priced, and down right delicious. I must admit that I was so impressed with my meal at Bandar that I returned just three evenings later to again delight in the boneless chicken kabob (as did three of my friends). Feeling guilty about such a recent return, I was reminded that most Persian food is primarily fat free and charbroiled, what's the harm? Rarely do you find such flavors coming forth from food carrying little or no preservatives and that is quite honestly a very healthy meal.

Being open for a little more than two years now, Bandar continues to bask in success and satisfy those who come to experience what is to them a new and exotic food, as well as those who come for a taste of home. I would like to thank Behrooz and the entire staff at Bandar for their hospitality and the privilege to experience their fine cuisine and the chance to absorb a small taste of their culture. I truly enjoyed myself.

Until next month…it's a matter of taste.

Restaurant of the Month: BANDAR Harbor Lights: The Newsletter for Harbor Club Homeowners – Vol. 1 No. 5

The finest Persian food this side of Teheran, it's hard to beat Bandar. This tasty food is primarily fat-free and char-broiled. Behrooz Farahani, the proprietor, uses all fresh ingredients, as well as 100% pure vegetable oil. He uses no artificial flavorings or additives.

Exotic flavors are derived from combinations of ingredients such as lentils, raisins, fresh dates, parsley, cilantro, chives, pomegranate juice, and of course, saffron just to name a few.

Especially outstanding is Albalo Polo, which is a charbroiled boneless chicken served with a special rice mixed with black, sour cherries.

Main courses range in price between $6.95 and $14.95. Appetizers are as outstanding as are the main courses. If you like eggplant, be sure to try Kashk O'bademjan with mint and onions, or Boroani, which is made with herbs, onions and yogurt.

Bandar features Persian lunches, both hot and cold starting at $3.95. The ambiance is bright and cheerful, the music Middle Eastern, and the people are friendly and eager to please.

We at The Harbor Club have been given an offer by Bandar which is too good to refuse. During the month of December, Bandar has offered a free glass of wine and an appetizer to anyone who mentions this article. Incidentally, they are open from 11 am until midnight during the week and until 2 am on the weekends.

Don't miss out on this gracious offer from a truly outstanding restaurant. As Behrooz Farahani says, "Noshe jon!" Enjoy!

Dining Out with David Nelson: BANDAR San Diego Magazine

From Albania to India, and through all the lands that stretch between, the cuisines show a fondness for certain ingredients and dishes, especially rice, lamb, yogurt and eggplant, and for honey-sweetened pastries made with nuts and the most delicate of doughs.

The distinctions between these cuisines arise in the way ingredients are combined and, more specifically, in the spicing. In Iranian cooking, wonderfully flavored rices star on the plate as delicious bases for charbroiled or stewed meats, chicken and vegetables.

The opening of a new Iranian-style restaurant, Bandar, on Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego, has expanded the already cosmopolitan dining choices in the Gaslamp Quarter. Like other establishments in the neighborhood, this one offers a narrow sidewalk terrace; the indoor dining room is bright, spacious and comfortable.

The menu is a genuine treat, and certain items should not be missed. If you have enjoyed an appetizer of stuffed grape leaves at Greek or Lebanese restaurants, try them at Bandar, where the dolmeh ($3.95), as they are known, feature a delicious filling of ground beef with peas and fresh herbs, including tarragon, an herb more typically associated with French cooking. To moisten the unusual flat bread stacked high inside the napkin-draped basket, order the creamy, delicately tart yogurt dip ($2), or an even more delicious dip made of highly seasoned, crushed and fried eggplant ($3.95). If you think you don't like eggplant, this dish may change your mind. Lunch specials are extraordinarily well priced, and so generously served that you may as well conclude that the meal can double as dinner. The most fun items on the list are the "polo" rice dishes – look at this word a moment and you will realize it has the same root as our "pilaf". And polos are indeed elaborately flavored rice preparations topped with meats or vegetables. The lubia polo ($5.95) mixes diced beef and green beans in tomato sauce with basmati rice, and tops this with a grilled ground beef kebab. Dates, saffron, lentils and raisins flavor the rice topped with a grilled, marinated and exceptionally tender chicken breast in the adas polo ($5.95), while sour black cherries add a most unusual note to the chicken breast-topped rice in the albalou polo ($5.95). If you like lamb, try the slow-simmered lamb shank placed over rice with dill and baby lima beans in the baghala polo ($6.95). Herbs enrich the veal-based ghormeh sabzi stew. Bandar serves daily at 825 Fourth Avenue in San Diego. Telephone 238-0101.

Iran in American Time San Diego Reader

The former careers of restaurant owners are often interesting, and that of Behrooz Farahani, the 41-year-old owner of the new downtown Persian restaurant, Bandar, is no exception. He graduated from the University of Tehran as a certified architect, soon owned his own architectural firm, was married, and had twin daughters. On a visit to San Diego nine years ago, he decided that he could provide his family with a better life here. His parents, especially his mother, in Arak, Iran, wept over the move. But that didn't prevent the young Farahani family from emigrating.

Known as historic Building #16, it was built in 1905. A plaque outside testifies to the building's age and its many previous tenants: the Exchange Cocktail Lounge, a card room, a Mexican restaurant, pawnshop, Zingaro Café, the last occupant made no claims on the public's attention, possibly because of the cafes somewhat shabby appearance. The building's condition only whetted Farahani's appetite. He wanted to sue his architectural skills. Since the site was historical, many restrictions were imposed on him. For example, he could not tear down an original brick wall.

Instead, he and his wife, Shokooh, washed every brick by hand. They plastered the other walls and painted them white.

I was pleased to see beige half-curtains on the upper window, as well as a beige awning. I'm not sure who started the trend of un-curtained windows downtown (Croce's?), but I hate the fishbowl effect when I'm dining.

San Diegans have become sensitive to décor. The immediate success of Trattoria Portobello and Bandar, both on Fourth Avenue, is due to their attractiveness to people who stroll by searching for a handsome place to dine. Until recently, Fourth Avenue was considered a lesser venue than Restaurant Row on Fifth. But walking by Bandar, which means, "port", you are lured to the outdoor patio filled with potted trees. Glancing inside you see seven white columns, leather chairs trimmed with metal, and seating on two levels.

But the ambiance alone does not make diners return. Bandar prepares the finest Persian food in the city (36 dishes), and the owners operate in American time. I say this because one time when friends and I arrived at Nobahar, the Persian restaurant in Solana Beach, at 7:15 pm, the staff seemed stunned that we had come so early. It was more than an hour before they could cook the food. Since we had to work the next day, the prospect of sitting at Nobahar until 10:00pm hardly enticed us, and we left mid-meal. The manager kept assuring us that if we came on a Saturday night they would be better prepared. We never risked it.

Whether you enter Bandar for lunch or dinner, the service is both fast and attentive. Luncheon specials are available Monday through Friday. Dishes range in price from $3.95 for pita sandwiches with chunks of charbroiled chicken, beef, or vegetables to $6.95 for chicken in pomegranate sauce. Food from the dinner menu is offered 11:30am to midnight.

Bandar prepares the finest Persian food in the city San Diego Union Tribune

The former careers of restaurant owners are often interesting, and that of Behrooz Farahani, the 41-year-old owner of the new downtown Persian restaurant, Bandar, is no exception. He graduated from the University of Tehran as a certified architect, soon owned his own architectural firm, was married, and had twin daughters. On a visit to San Diego nine years ago, he decided that he could provide his family with a better life here. His parents, especially his mother, in Arak, Iran, wept over the move. But that didn't prevent the young Farahani family from emigrating.

Whether you enter Bandar for lunch or dinner, the service is both fast and attentive. Luncheon specials are available Monday through Friday. Dishes range in price from $3.95 for pita sandwiches with chunks of charbroiled chicken, beef, or vegetables to $6.95 for chicken in pomegranate sauce. Food from the dinner menu is offered from 11:30 am to midnight.

I can never get enough of the dolmeh ($3.95), grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, split peas, cilantro, tarragon, green onions, and a Persian spice called marzeh (shipped from Los Angeles). At Bandar, the dolmeh are light and delicate. For a real Persian treat, try dolmeh with the made-on-the-premises Persian-style yogurt ($2.00).

The eggplant borane is also a delight ($3.95). The eggplant is sautéed, then mashed until it's almost a past. It's mixed with garlic, mint, and onions, and topped with yogurt.

If you like pickled vegetables, by all means try torshi, a mixture of chopped pickles, carrots, cauliflower, and eggplant that's marinated in grape vinegar ($2.95). A little of this goes a long way – it's best for a large party.

Meat eaters should select the Bandar Special, a combination of charbroiled filet mignon, lamb, and chicken, all without a bit of fat ($14.95). It's served with rice, a broiled tomato, and salad. The bestseller at Bandar for meat lovers is a charbroiled filet mignon and ground filet molded into strips ($11.95). Our party of four ordered filet mignon and ground strips; boneless lamb kabobs ($12.95); chicken barg, thin strips of charbroiled chicken ($10.95); and the vegetarian dish ($7.95). I tasted a forkful of the vegetarian dish; it was exotic with eggplant, raisins, and lentils. In Persian restaurants, I always order three kinds of rice: plain basmati topped with saffron rice, saffron rice with currants, and green rice with chopped dill and lima beans.

When I phoned Saturday night to ask about the hours, the restaurant was full and ten people were waiting outside – proof that the product is first rate.