I love stories of phoenixes rising from the ashes! After being closed from a fire back on January 24th, 2018, beloved neighborhood restaurant LAVASH is returning this November. This family-run business, with parents Nazila and Saeed Talai and their son Kaivon, has been working hard to reopen, dealing with a long list of the usual issues, from permits to construction and more, which can be especially burdensome for a small business that doesn’t have any investors. The fire was between the walls in the kitchen, which caused a lot of damage, but fortunately no one was injured.
Nazila and Saeed came to the United States from Iran in the late 1970s after the Iranian Revolution, and started selling flowers on the street, and eventually opened a flower shop. They have had many businesses over the past 30 years—this enterprising couple even owned an award-winning taqueria at one point! Lavash—which they opened in 2008—is known for their soulful Iranian cooking, featuring dishes and family recipes from home, with quality and fresh ingredients and an eye on health (Saeed, a self-taught chef, was also an athlete). Lavash favorites include their koobideh (skewers of mixed ground beef and lamb), jeweled rice, and fesenjan (chicken with ground walnut and sour-sweet pomegranate sauce), and they will all be returning, plus some new specials.
Lavash was also adored for its warm hospitality and welcoming dining room, which had a cozy, residential style (and was full of fresh flowers). The space has been renovated, and the dining room will have more space, and the kitchen got an upgrade, too.
I’ll let you know when they set their opening date! They’re going to start with dinner first, and hope to add lunch soon. You can follow their new Instagram account at @lavashsf for updates. Welcome back, Lavash! 511 Irving St. at 6th Ave.
The previous dining room at Lavash. Photo: Maloos Khonsarian, courtesy of Lavash.
