Chef Seb

haha, yeah me too!! I think it was a smart decision

If i was selling burgers, its one thing... but i dont

Amoo's it is... Don please change the Title of this Forum Just "Amoo's" i think will do!!! Thank you everyone!

Amoo's Bistro???

Good Evening!! As many of you folks know, Amoo's House of Kabob has come a long way since 2012. Originally, Amoo's was built in 2003 by different owners and the Oveysi family took over the business in 2008. At the time, Amoo's was just kabob house that catered mostly to carryout costumers and had only few tables that accommodated the dine-in patrons. When the Oveysi's took over, they realized that the restaurant needed a lot of work and was in desperate need of a system that was going to raise the quality of the food and service. In addition to converting the restaurant to a full service 5 star dining experience, they asked two of their own members of the family with years of experience in the hospitality industry to join the team. Executive Chef Sebastian Oveysi and his older brother Pejman Oveysi had an Idea on how to direct the restaurant to where it is today. The main focus was the food, and therefore Sebastian started to work on the menu. The Kabobs were always good at Amoo's, so not much modification was needed in that category except for buying better quality meat and produce such as organic and free range. Next up, adding daily specials that changed every day. Sebastian believes in variety and with that in mind, he started to infuse the traditional Persian dishes into mouth watering contemporary global fare. Currently, Amoo's is serving all the traditional Persian stews and Kabobs everyday and will continue to do so to accommodate the guests who like to stick with tradition Persian dishes. But as many of you know, Chef Sebastian also introduced the fusion menu in 2012 which includes some of the biggest hits and most popular items that are being served currently, such as the Sea Bass Kabob, the Stuffed Squash, and the Chimichurri Lamb kabob. In 2103 Amoo's was ranked #1 restaurant in Mclean VA and has maintained that ranking for the past eight months. Amoo's is thriving to maintain that status by innovation and creativity that the Oveysi brothers have implemented in the past two years. And so with all these changes that are taking place, we believe that all the new implementations will only enhance not only the quality of our food and service, but also our Image. Since the beginning of this year the family has started with these changes. Recently we upgraded the dining room furniture and placed beautiful mahogany chairs and marble tables, all of our dishes and silverware have been replaced with new and more modern ones, and all of our kitchen appliances are brand new and meet the Virginia Health Department Codes and Guidelines. The family is also in the process of obtaining a full liquor license, which we hope to receive by the end of this summer. And finally, since our menu is not just kabobs but rather a very diverse mix of Persian cuisine mixed with a hint of global taste, we believe that it only make sense to change the name of the restaurant to "Amoo's Persian Fusion" Please be advised that the name change does not reflect the quality of the food and nor the management has changed. All of this is simply a sign of growth and looking for a brighter future as this small family business has ahead of it. Please remember that we are operating at full capacity and are ready to serve you as we always have. And we will remain open during these small but effective changes. Thanks to all of you, all of Amoo's family and friends who have helped us through the years by supporting us and most importantly, staying loyal! Thank you and we are looking forward to have every single one of you at Amoo's Persian Fusion's table! NOW WHO'S HUNGRY FOR SOME GOOD FOOD???

Over the past 2 decades Goa has become one of the biggest tourist destination spots in the world. Their cuisine is combination of very modernized Indian dishes with a western twist. I will be serving some of the Indian style charred meats and fish, cooked with the best Indian and Persian ingredients. For the past year i have been wanting to do something with indian cuisine and im glad im in a position do do so. Join us now. Book your tables as all of our events are reservations ONLY!!

About 2 years ago, I made a Pomegranate soup that was served at the restaurant. People loved it but at the time Amoo's hadn't gotten the hype that it has now and therefore it wasnt a hit. But after reading Barbara's post, I think I am inspired to do so. Wow, thank you for your post Barbara!!

Good evening everyone, I remember growing up, my mom would make my siblings and I this awesome dish called "Choghandar" which in Farsi means hot beets. This was one of my favorites because my mom only cooked it during the cold days of winter. She slow roasted them for hours so they'd be nicely tender. The idea behind this dish is that you're supposed to eat the beets while they are hot and fresh right out of the oven. Back then we only ate them with melted feta cheese. So simple but yet so delicious. In the past few days of severe cold weather, all I have thought about is eating hot beets. So this morning while shopping for produce, i ran across these wonderful fresh organic beets that I thought would be ideal for roasting. But as i try with all my dishes, I did not want to just make a boring beet dish, but rather add some additional flavors that i thought would go very well with them. Today I served the hot beet salad for the first time at Amoo's and we actually sold quite a few. I got great feedback from everyone who tried it. Im happy to introduce "Choghandar Salad" Hot Beet Salad Pistachio and goat feta cheese crusted roasted beet served on a bed of sauteed basil and cherry tomatoes, garnished with sno pea shoots We will be serving this dish for the next few days. Come in and try this wonderful winter dish. See you at Amoo's -Chef Seb

One of my goals for the New Year coming up was to be able to create a brunch menu that caters to everyone. With that in mind, It always bothered me that there no restaurants in DC area that serve Persian brunch. I never understood why Italian, French and American restaurants get so much more hype then Persian cuisines. Persian food is as amazing if not more. In Iran you cant just slap a NY strip on the grill and call it the day! You will be disgraced.. no one will ever eat your food. I mean dont get me wrong, I love the western cuisine, a lot of what I cook consists of it. Its good if youre craving that kind of food. But at the same time, I feel like no one is doing anything about Persian culinary arts. A lot of chefs say that Tokyo offers to most prestigious and colorful culinary arts in the world. I agree, Tokyo is all about precision and craft, but so is TEHRAN!! Why hasn't anyone paid attention to it? Did you know in Iran they boil beets and eat them with roasted walnuts for breakfast? Did you know that we braise lamb for hours over night so it'd be ready for breakfast? Did you know that we have a dish called "Haleem" thats pretty much steamed wheat, brown sugar, cinnamon and braised lamb or turkey? It is The best brunch food I have ever had! For most of you, the Answer to my questions are No!! And That's probably because you were too busy eating the same old boring pancakes and/or oat meal.There's so much work and art that goes into Persian style of making food. Its not just about feeding good food, its about making sure that youre able to sense flavor, texture and smell all at the same time. Nothing is lacking and nothing is overwhelming, always perfect no matter where In Iran I have eaten brunch. Over the years, I've picked up on some really cool westernized cooking that I thought would be really cool and compatible with Persian style of making brunch. I want to show how relative and similar Persian food is to all of world's most popular cooking. And maybe for once Persian food is something people finally notice. And I thought the best way to do that is by creating a brunch menu that is collaborated by Persian and American style cuisine. Attached are photos of some of the brunch Items being presented next weekend. Saturday January 4, 2014 starting at 9am Amoo's will start serving brunch on the weekends. Please note, we have been getting a lot of calls regarding the new brunch menu, I highly advice that everyone RSVP via facebook link provided below in order to book your tables. Reserve NOW!! See you at Amoo's https://www.facebook.com/events/600041600062197/

In the past few weeks, i have found this intense interest towrds edible blossoms and flowers. So I have been doing a lot of research on how to obtain some of the best edible flower blooms and edible orchids. One of my favorite has been the Oriental Lilies! And since Amoo's stews can sometime steer towards the sweet side, i thought stuffing the lilies with our pomegranate braised chicken stew was a great combination, and lord be hold, i was right. I present to you the Pomegranate braised chicken served inside of brown sugar cinnamon crusted edible oriental lilies, served with a side of Amoo's saffron rice... Bon Appetite!!

Hello Don, and happy holidays to all of you foodies.. 2013 has definetly been the best year for my family and I. I feel like we are finally where we want to be as far as Amoo's menu goes. After speaking to Mr. Rockwell, I have decided to start a thread which will cover some of the cookings that we do here at Amoo's. The saffron steamed squash has been the biggest hit this year. Back in September, i thought it'd be a good idea to serve several seasonal dishes. And trying to figure out how to design a dish thats Persian but yet its suitable for American holiday season was definetly a challenging task. Well for one, I am bored, and just bored with traditional Persian cuisine. Its always meat on top of rice. Every single Persian restauarant in DC Metro area besides Amoo's, serves almost exactly the same thing. So, with that being said, I want to expand the Persian cuisine through innovation and creativity. And just kabob and rice are not going to cut it. Going back to seasonal items.. I have always loved how the Americans have this seasonal addiction to pumpkins, squash, and cinnamon. Therefore, i thought it would be a great idea to collaborate some Persian and American favorites. At Amoo's we have about nine choices of slow braised meat stews that we offer. And Don Rockwell can definetly vouche for how good these stews are!! ;-) My favorite stew is our pumpkin braised chicken stew, which is chicken breast fillet thats slowly braised in a tangy pumpkin and citrus sauce its relitively sweet, nothing overwhelming, but it is flavorful and a perfect stew for those cold temperture days, and its usually served over saffron steamed rice. But then i thought, ok here we go again, meat over rice!!! While i was peeling a small pumpkin to make the stew with, a light bulb turned on in my head. I realized that pumpkins and squash have a texture of potatoes, meaning that they can be steamed and filled. This is where I ran across the street over to the Safeway in a hurry and full of excitement. I bought a huge acorn squash and returned to Amoo's kitchen. I asked my father how he thought would be the best way to steam it and with his help I learned how to make the best saffron steamed stuffed squash. We offer 2 types of squash, Acorn and butternut, which both can be filled with any of our stews. This dish will be served until December 31st. After then, we will not be serving it until September of 2014. Come in and try this wonderful, comforting holiday favorite before its all gone.. Looking forward to having you all at my tables.. Chef Seb

Presenting the pomegranate tandoori Boston Black Cod... This dish was a huge hit during the month of November.. Pomegranate Sea Scallops Kabob We will be serving it for the month of December!!

Introducing the Tandoori style Boston black Cod kabob, on a bed of pomegranate Molasses and Saffron butter Bon Appetite!!

Don, you wanted me to post this, so you got it my friend!!

Good Evening Everyone, Just wanted to let everyone know that my next event will be held on October 18, 2013 Please Follow the link below to RSVP Thank you and see you at my table. https://www.facebook.com/events/1421069878113869/

Please Join us this Friday night. Please reserve your tables now. Follow the link below for more info, https://www.facebook.com/events/463181637122816/

Please join me as I have designed a very cool prefix menu for Amoo's event "Culinary Journey From Tehran To Memphis". This menu is a collaboration of fine Persian Cuisine and Memphis style BBQ. Please note that a reservation is required to ensure table guarantee. See you at Amoo's!~ Please follow the link below to reserve your tables now!!! https://www.facebook.com/events/292204857588250/

So I just created a group on Facebook where anyone can join. All of my events and culinary gatherings will be posted there. All you have to do is follow the link below: See you at the grill!! https://www.facebook.com/groups/315070121970176/

Hey guys, the group organizers contacted me and cancelled this event due to heavy rain forecast. But dont worry im still doing other things that will blow your mind away... stay tuned!!

The weather has been so beautiful lately that when i was offered an opportunity to cook outdoors, i did not hesitate to agree. This event is designed for singles to meet and mingle while enjoying some of Amoo's signature specialties. All you have to do is become a member of the group and RSVP to the link provided. This event is free and all you have to do is be single and welling to socialize. See you at the grill!!! Music will also be provided by DJ Boris Gluck of Washington DC!!! Please follow the link bellow... https://www.facebook.com/events/286675968136827/

Did anyone use this recipe? love to get some feedback!

Good Afternoon to the wonderful community of Mr. Don Rockwell's website and happy Saturday everyone! As many of you may know that my restaurant has been getting a lot of attention lately and I feel truly blessed. I am so content with everything that has been happening to Amoos that I feel like there's not enough hours in my day to keep growing and move faster. So as my way of appreciation, I am posting my own personal sea bass recipe that we served as a special for dinner few weeks back and it was a huge hit. I also cooked this dish for a friends birthday BBQ that everyone seemed to enjoy. So I thought it would be good way of showing you folks on this site how much I appreciate the love that you have showed my family and I by posting this very tasty recipe. Its really easy to make and all you need is a functioning grill, a blender and wooden skewers. Let me know if you any questions or need help. Obviously the fish is the most important part of this process and therefore it is very critical that you get the right fish, otherwise the true potential of this entrée would be compromised. In order to get the right fish, there are few spots in and around Washington D.C that sell very good quality fresh wild caught black Chilean sea bass. The fish market on the waterfront has the freshest fish and I normally get my fish from them when it comes to cooking at home. But for those of you who live in the center or around the city of Washington, your best bet would be Whole Foods Market either on Wisconsin Ave in Glover Park DC or the one on Wilson Blvd in Arlington VA. Whole Foods has the best wild fish compared to other grocery stores. 8oz of sea bass is needed per serving, so if you are cooking for 4 people, then you'd need to get 2lbs of the fish, if its for 2 people, then you'd need only 1lbs. When buying the fish, ask who's ever is serving you, to give you the center cut fillets. This is important because its the firmest part of the fish which contributes big time when it comes to skewering and grilling this amazing fish. Once you have the fish, you'd need to cut it into 3 inch cubes. Do not take the skin off. The fat on the skin provides a lot of flavor. THIS IS DESIGNED TO SERVE 4 PEOPLE. How to make the marinate using a blender: You need a 1/2lbs of fresh organic basil leaves (pluck the leaves from stems), 1 cup of Argentinean Malbec wine (preferably from Mendoza), 1 whole peeled organic lime, 1 whole peeled organic orange, 1 tablespoon of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 2 table spoon of raw sugar, 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. First, poor the wine and the heavy cream in to the blender then add the basil, orange, lime, salt, black pepper, raw sugar and olive oil. Blend everything until the whole mix has completely liquefied. How to marinate the fish: Once the marinate is ready and you have cut the fish into 3 inch cubes, all you need is, to place the fish in a container that can be covered completely. The size of this container should be something similar to size of a shoe box. Once you have the fish in the container, you will need to poor the marinate over on top of it so the fish can be marinated over night in your refrigerator. How to grill the fish: When you're ready to grill the sea bass, make sure you are using a charcoal grill and that you have placed your charcoal in a hill shape so it provides equal amount of heat throughout the grill. Skewer the fish cubes on the wooden skewers and place them on the grill for them to cook. Using a tongue, keep flipping the skewers so the can be cooked evenly. Once the fish gets a brown goldish crust, that's when you know your fish is ready. You can enjoy the sea bass kabob with any kind of salad, rice or pasta. It goes with everything..... I hope you all enjoy this recipe like as many of my guests have enjoyed this amazing dish. Please let me know how you have enjoyed it. Bon Apetit!!

Folks, I want you all to know, nothing lifts me up as much as seeing you all celebrating life front of me, in my restaurant, at my table and with my cooking! I am honored to be part of that time that you enjoy so much just because you love my family's cooking!!!!!! I should be thanking you! thank you

Oh my god when I say I am getting goosebumps and teared up while reading all of this due to being filled with so much joy and gratification that words cannot describe this very moment of complete trance! I cannot believe and still trying to observ this amazing feedback from every single one of you people! People that do not really know myself nor my family but yet show so much love to us! We are getting so much attention lately simply because my family really loves and absolutely love cooking! We get naturally high when we see all of this amazing reviews about how happy people are. Folks, words like these are the reason my father, my mother, who are in their 60s, my brother, my sister and I motivated every single day to do the best that we can do! Originality and perfection is our goal! And with that being said, I cannot thank you enough and there are absolutely no expressions that exist to show how grateful, flattered, thankful, and finally serene my family and I are because of you! We love cooking for you, and you love us feeding you! I only wish everyone around the world appreciated each other like this!!! Because in the end of the day, kindness is more powerful then weapon! The Oveysi family loves you all and we ask that you pray for the freedom of IRAN from this evil Islamic empire of Iran! Thank you all again!!!