Amoo's (Formerly Amoo's Kabob), Chesterbrook - Chef Sebastian Oveysi's Traditional Persian Stews, Rice Dishes, and Kabobs, Now With A Food Truck Too

[DonRocks]

I wanted to do another private pre fixe dinner event for the members of this site. Don and I organized one few months ago and it was a huge success. Amoo's dining room was packed.

So I have been asked by few members as to when we were going to do another one. And just like the last event. This one will be private, which means you can bring your own wine, beer, and spirits if you like.

Here are the dates that the Amoo's dining room will be available. Don, please let me know as to which date works best.

Sunday January 18, 2015

Sunday January 25, 2015

Sunday February 1, 2015

I hope all of you have a great Holiday this year and remember, EAT!!!

Chef Seb

Good to hear from you, Seb (and folks, *get the stuffed squash if you go to Amoo's*).

These dinners won't magically appear; they take organization and work, so you and I would need to talk about time, price, format, etc., and then I'd need to start a thread in the Events and Gatherings forum. Please make the stuffed squash one of the items!

[Pat]

[February 1 is the date of the Super Bowl, FWIW.]

[Chef Seb]

I guess February 1st is out of the question then....

I think if you were to start the thread Don, we'd get some response right away!!

[porcupine]

I don't know why I'm not dining at Amoo's more often, because every time the food is extraordinary.  It's a fine-dining level of food, delicious and beautifully presented, in an informal setting. And you never know what Seb is going to come up with.  Last time it was a blood orange soup that apparently resulted from an experiment involving caramelized onions.  It was so good my friend couldn't resist passing the bowl around for everyone to try.  Next thing you know we'd ordered another bowl for the table...  I always leave feeling happy and thinking about when I can next go back.

[DonRocks]

I don't know why I'm not dining at Amoo's more often, because every time the food is extraordinary.  It's a fine-dining level of food, delicious and beautifully presented, in an informal setting. And you never know what Seb is going to come up with.  Last time it was a blood orange soup that apparently resulted from an experiment involving caramelized onions.  It was so good my friend couldn't resist passing the bowl around for everyone to try.  Next thing you know we'd ordered another bowl for the table...  I always leave feeling happy and thinking about when I can next go back.

Here is a poll to determine which dates we'll be having our dr.com dinner at Amoo's.

[Kibbee Nayee]

It was a sensational dinner last night at Amoo's. Almost celebratory. Chef Seb made his rounds through the Rockwellian crowd, the music (Gilbert?) was great, lots of familiar faces shared plenty of good food stories, and the food itself was excellent. Start to finish this was easily the best Persian meal I've had in the DC area, and I've had quite a few. I'll be back, often.

[darkstar965]

Really bummed to have missed this but wasn't possible for us.  More shamefully, I haven't yet been to Amoo's. But this site is the reason I will be going....soon.

[Chef Seb]

Good Morning everyone,

I wanted to thank all of you who attended DR event at Amoo's this past Sunday. Sunday night was a HUGE success, even better than the first DR event we did last year. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and looking forward to having you all back at Amoo's very soon. Don and I will continue to combine forces to bring you some of the best events in the future.

And finally, Don, thank you for having such a great site where people like myself can find peace and love through food and celebrating life. Thank you...

Chef Seb

[ktmoomau]

The pictures looked great!  We were hosting my Mom and we did a family dinner at home so we couldn't make it, but so glad so many could!

[scj32]

Does anyone know if Amoo's is hosting anything special for Nowruz (Persian New Year)?

[DanielK]

I haven't seen him announce anything, but they are very active on their Facebook page. I am sure that a question there would be answered pretty quickly.

[Chef Seb]

Im In the process of putting together an event for Nowruz (Persian New Year). I will post info very soon!

[Chef Seb]

I have always had a dream to open a restaurant on a tropical white sandy beach town where the water is visible just from few feet, where the entire restaurant is open so people can feel that ocean breeze no matter which table they are sitting at. A place where the entire town goes and hangs out. This is a place where everyone knows each other, the bartenders, servers, and managers know the guests by their names. The sounds of the live band playing only enhances the experience. The signature cocktails are made from fresh fruits and wild caught fish and organic produce are brought in every morning. You can taste the freshness from every bite.

Until now, this has been one of my biggest dreams and this dream became a reality today!

I am opening a restaurant in Gulfport FL in the end of this summer. I cannot describe the feeling that I have right now. I am so thankful, I feel truly blessed and this is just another way of my higher power telling me, "Working hard always pays off, never stop moving, and always be thankful"

I do realize that success is not just achieved by 1 person but rather it is a pool of energy that is created by your loved ones. Family, Friends, and supporters are the reason why opportunities like this are available to a person like me.

And finally, I want to thank all of you who have been to Amoo's and have tried the food truck. You tried the food, you loved it, and you went and talked about it. What you guys have done is why I am where I am. I owe you guys, I cannot thank you enough for showing so much love towards my family and I. And like I said before, Don Rockwell and the members of this site are one of the reasons why my cuisine was found. No one had heard of my food 3 yeas ago, you guys made it noticeable! Thank you, thank you, and thank you again. See you at one of my tables in FL.

P.S im not moving down there. Ill just be traveling a lot.. So don't get too excited, youre not getting rid of me entirely!! lol

[darkstar965]

Hmmm, Florida for Spring Training and Amoo''s South in Gulfport, FL (not the other coastal Gulfport, right? :-)) this time next year. That sounds good.

[Chef Seb]

Between St. Pete's beach and Tampa 

[Chef Seb]

A Night Witch Chef Seb and Don Rockwell V.3?? Don, any thoughts?

[DonRocks]

Where's my sign?

[jdc]

Well, this thread sold me. I was looking for a place "in the middle" (between Potomac and Alexandria) to have lunch with a friend in a couple of weeks, and was targeting Tyson's or McLean. I doubt that the chef is personally working Monday lunch, but maybe we'll get lucky. Thanks for the recommendation, y'all, I'll let you know how it was.

[Chef Seb]

JDC,

When you come in please ask for Maria, She'll take good care of you.

Thanks,

Chef Seb

[Chef Seb]

Don,

A new sign is going up in the begening of September.

[jdc]

JDC,

When you come in please ask for Maria, She'll take good care of you.

Thanks,

Chef Seb

Thanks, Chef! Will do.

[nmorrell]

My husband (jimco) and I were in the area for a kids birthday party yesterday so we (all thanks go to the mister for finding Amoo's in the first place) decided to pop in for a late lunch with the kids.

We were seated immediately and had great service from start to finish. Everyone was very friendly and helpful with recommendations.

We started with the Tahdigh (crispy rice with a lamb and bean stew on top). It was the first time I've had it and loved the rich flavor of the sauce/stew paired with the crunchy rice.

I eat a lot of fish and if my husband didn't require some red meat a few nights a week I'd probably have fish/shellfish every night. With that in mind, I had the Sea Bass "kabob" from Amoo's and it was with out a doubt or exaggeration, the best fish I've tasted in my life. The fish basically melts in your mouth, perfectly cooked and tasted like butter. Sinfully delicious! It is served over a huge amount of rice. I should say I don't always love rice but this was fluffy and quite flavorful. I couldn't believe how much of it I ate.

The mister had (I can't remember the name) a combination kabob featuring chicken cooked with jalapeí±o and herbs as well as the kubideh (minced onion flavored meat). I think my dish was better to be honest but as I just finished his left overs at lunch today I can attest that even reheated it was excellent.

This isn't our neighborhood but I assure you we will definitely be back, soon. The only problem for me is deciding if I will try something new or go back for more of the sea bass perfection.

[jdc]

I went to Amoo's with a friend for a weekday lunch. We were greeted warmly and our server was attentive without hovering, which we both appreciated as we were catching up after months. Little details like providing a carafe for water was important, especially since the glasses were on the smaller side (maybe juice glasses).

My friend does not like to be adventurous upon dining for the first time at a restaurant, and also likes to stick to things she's had elsewhere so that she can "compare" - getting a fancier dish when she is, in her mind, at a place comparable to her local kabob house doesn't really help her figure out quite how special a place is. And, from what I can tell, and from what everyone has said, Amoo's is special.

We had one of the combination kabobs - the kubideh, chicken breast, and filet - and all were delicious. The kubideh was seasoned well and the filet was cooked to a tender medium rare, both were very tasty (I will note that they didn't ask, and while that is the perfect temperature for us, others might have different ideas). Since we stuck to basics, I want to take the opportunity to point out how perfectly cooked the chicken was. It was literally a melt on your fork, melt in your mouth, and we devoured it. The rice and bread served with the meal were tasty as well, and my friend enjoyed the presentation with the flower on top of the rice - she took it home for her daughter, who was just starting kindergarten yesterday.

Unfortunately, I live on the wrong side of the river to make it to McLean very often, but I will certainly let my Virginia friends know that it is there, and will aspire to visit when I can - with plans to try something more adventurous, like Don's beloved stuffed squash. And Chef Seb, if you decide you're bored in Florida and want to open across the river in Maryland, I'll be there opening night!

[Chef Seb]

JDC and Tex Chef,

Thank you so much for your visit and I am so glad you enjoyed your meal. I am a dreamer and my dream is to open restaurants all over the country and you never know. Your neck of the woods just might be the next spot I hit ;-)

Once again, thank you so much for your visit and lookng forward to meeting you in the future.

Chef Seb

[CajunJason]

My partner & I have made a resolution to try a different cuisine of the world every Friday evening.  This Friday is Persian, I just made reservations at Amoo's.

After following this thread for years, I'm very excited (and ashamed it's taken this long) to finally try this well reviewed spot!

[Chef Seb]

My partner & I have made a resolution to try a different cuisine of the world every Friday evening.  This Friday is Persian, I just made reservations at Amoo's.

After following this thread for years, I'm very excited (and ashamed it's taken this long) to finally try this well reviewed spot!

Im very glad you folks are coming in! Please ask for me when you come in so I can personally make sure your experience is a memorable one :-)

Thank you again and looking forward to meeting you on Friday!

Chef Seb

[JBag57]

This past Saturday, my son was doing laundry, etc., to get ready to head back to college, and we were not cooking at home, so carryout it was.  I was in Alexandria, headed home to Vienna, and suggested Amoo's as a slight diversion off of the GW Parkway.  I brought home the Zereshk Polo with chicken for my son (I think he was enamored with the description referring to it as the "dish of kings"), the Fesenjoon (chicken) stew for my wife, and the Tahdigh appetizer for me (tahdigh comes with a serving of one of the stews, and the "meatball" is now listed on their menu as one of the stews--I did not see it on their online menu, and forget the name of it). Surprisingly very little sharing, particularly as my son hoovered down the very substantial portion of his "dish of kings"!

Everything was superb.  I have only done carryout here a few times, and carryout will probably be our main way of enjoying Amoo's, but I will be doing it on a more regular basis, at a minimum.  I was glad to see that the dining room was completely full at 8:00 on a Saturday night, as well it should be, and there were a lot of happy voices carrying across the room.

[CajunJason]

When experiencing a restaurant for the very first time, one that has received overwhelming praise online, it's not uncommon for the bar to be raised so impossibly high to meet the expectation of the hype.  Not that I've had bad meals at these celebrated restaurants, it's just the imaginary standard of holy greatness wasn't met- at some places.  

 

This was absolutely not the case with my first meal at Amoo's this past Friday night.  Everything that has been written here about Chef Sebastian and his team is completely the honest truth.  I felt as if I wasn't at a small strip-mall restaurant, but more at an extension of Seb's own dining room at home, as a guest of a proud family eager & excited to make sure I was well taken care of.

 

We started with a stewed/braised lamb atop crispy rice,- which I will order again on every future visit.  But skewered meats are the main attraction here.  A special of the evening was what translated to "sour meat"- lamb chunks that were marinated in a pomegranate syrup and a saffron cream, spectacular.  Cornish hen, ground beef, chicken, and beef tenderloin also lined the platter, all served with some of the best homemade pita I've sampled. 

 

The star of the night, for me, was the sea bass- which Chef Seb explained "made his career".  A perfect bite- ideally seasoned, with notes of lemon & butter- this is a must try dish.  

 

Persian ice cream is a new favorite dessert for me, and the baklava was outstanding.  I've found a new favorite restaurant to add to my short-list rotation.

 

Sigh, I sound like such a fan-boy.

[Chef Seb]

When experiencing a restaurant for the very first time, one that has received overwhelming praise online, it's not uncommon for the bar to be raised so impossibly high to meet the expectation of the hype.  Not that I've had bad meals at these celebrated restaurants, it's just the imaginary standard of holy greatness wasn't met- at some places.  

 

This was absolutely not the case with my first meal at Amoo's this past Friday night.  Everything that has been written here about Chef Sebastian and his team is completely the honest truth.  I felt as if I wasn't at a small strip-mall restaurant, but more at an extension of Seb's own dining room at home, as a guest of a proud family eager & excited to make sure I was well taken care of.

 

We started with a stewed/braised lamb atop crispy rice,- which I will order again on every future visit.  But skewered meats are the main attraction here.  A special of the evening was what translated to "sour meat"- lamb chunks that were marinated in a pomegranate syrup and a saffron cream, spectacular.  Cornish hen, ground beef, chicken, and beef tenderloin also lined the platter, all served with some of the best homemade pita I've sampled. 

 

The star of the night, for me, was the sea bass- which Chef Seb explained "made his career".  A perfect bite- ideally seasoned, with notes of lemon & butter- this is a must try dish.  

 

Persian ice cream is a new favorite dessert for me, and the baklava was outstanding.  I've found a new favorite restaurant to add to my short-list rotation.

 

Sigh, I sound like such a fan-boy.

It was a pleasure! Sorry it took me so long to respond to your wonderful review. I really hope to see you again soon as it was a delightful experience to serve you. Thanks again,

Chef Seb

[JBag57]

Not sure if this is the correct or best place to post this info, but in doing some checking on the recently-opened Greenhouse Bistro in Tysons, I ran across an announcement that Chef Seb is going to be offering a Persian brunch at that venue this coming Sunday, July 10. 

[Chef Seb]

@JBag57, I helped them get started with with their weekend brunch, it was a temporary thing. Please stay tuned for Amoo's new brunch menu starting in few months.

Thanks again,

Chef Seb

[Chef Seb]

Happy Thursday everyone!

I am hiring all positions for Amoo's and the food truck so please, if you know anyone, have them contact me. 

Thanks,

Chef Seb

PS the Fall Menu will start this weekend :-)

[DonRocks]

5 minutes ago, Chef Seb said:

Happy Thursday everyone!

I am hiring all positions for Amoo's and the food truck so please, if you know anyone, have them contact me. 

Thanks,

Chef Seb

PS the Fall Menu will start this weekend :-)

Click

[Chef Seb]

The fall menu is back and Im missing my DR crew! Stop by guys and check out the new menu and new look of Amoo's!

See you all at my tables :-)

[Chef Seb]

Spring Menu will be served starting March 19th.. Come see us!

[TheGut]

Had a wonderful meal at Amoos on Saturday night. 

1. Koobideh, Chicken Tandoori, and Lamb

2. Saffron Ice Cream.

[Chef Seb]

From the minute I realized that cooking was my calling, I’ve dreamed about the James Beard Foundation award. I have worked so hard in the last decade trying to get on a national stage and finally with the help of my amazing wife, I finally have an opportunity to get people to vote for my cuisine. Friends, I think about this award all day, everyday, I try and try harder everyday, and I have used every strength in my body, mind, and soul to reach the stars, but I need your support! You’ve all know my cuisine and have gotten to fall in love with the restaurant and the food truck, so now I only humbly ask that you vote for me using the link provided. When you click on the link, you need to scroll down and you will see “Submit Entry” in bold letters. Click on it and you will be asked to register which doesn’t take more than 2 minutes. Then you can fill in the entries as you see below;

1) Outstanding Chef - Sebastian Oveysi
2) Outstanding Restaurant - Amoo's Restaurant
3) Outstanding Service - Amoo's Restaurant
4) Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region - Sebastian Oveysi
5) America's Classics - Amoo's Restaurant

Thank you all so much for the love and support you have shown over the years, now, let's win this!

-Chef Seb and The Oveysi Family 

[DonRocks]

5 minutes ago, Chef Seb said:

From the minute I realized that cooking was my calling, I’ve dreamed about the James Beard Foundation award. I have worked so hard in the last decade trying to get on a national stage and finally with the help of my amazing wife, I finally have an opportunity to get people to vote for my cuisine. Friends, I think about this award all day, everyday, I try and try harder everyday, and I have used every strength in my body, mind, and soul to reach the stars, but I need your support! You’ve all know my cuisine and have gotten to fall in love with the restaurant and the food truck, so now I only humbly ask that you vote for me using the link provided. When you click on the link, you need to scroll down and you will see “Submit Entry” in bold letters. Click on it and you will be asked to register which doesn’t take more than 2 minutes. Then you can fill in the entries as you see below;

1) Outstanding Chef - Sebastian Oveysi
2) Outstanding Restaurant - Amoo's Restaurant
3) Outstanding Service - Amoo's Restaurant
4) Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region - Sebastian Oveysi
5) America's Classics - Amoo's Restaurant

Thank you all so much for the love and support you have shown over the years, now, let's win this!

-Chef Seb and The Oveysi Family 

Seb,

Unfortunately, the only award you're really eligible for is "Best Chef ...." - to win an "Outstanding ...." award, you have to either have already won a "Best Chef ...." award, or have been in business for ten years. America's Classics almost always go to dive-type places that have been around for decades, so that would be a tough one for Amoo's.

(For the "Best Chef ...." awards, you need to have been cooking in the region (not necessarily at your current restaurant) for five years.)

[DIShGo]

I had a great, seasonal dish here--a pumpkin and chicken stew served in a roasted squash. Taking DonRocks advice, I asked our server if they had stuffed squash, which did not appear on our menu. The server disappeared for a few minutes, and then returned with a "fall favorites" menu. There were four or five items on this laminated sheet, all very tasty sounding, but there were no prices. She didn't tell us the prices, and I forgot to ask, but I went ahead and ordered a combination of two items from this special menu--the stuffed roasted squash (which could be stuffed with any of their stews) and the pumpkin stew to go in it.The dish was outstanding--the perfect combination of sweet and savory--and it was served with a generous side of buttery rice. My meal cost $22, but I do not know if that is the price of the stuffed squash, the stew, or some combination of the two. I am glad I asked about the squash. Otherwise we would not have seen this special, seasonal menu, which should not be missed.

[DonRocks]

1 minute ago, JimCo said:

Minority of two. I thought the sauce made the breading soft and didn't really enjoy it.

I had a similar issue at Amoo's last week - we ordered Tadiq along with a stew, and the stew came *on top of* the Tadiq, which rendered it floppy and soggy, defeating its whole purpose.

[Marty L.]

1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

I had a similar issue at Amoo's last week - we ordered Tadiq along with a stew, and the stew came *on top of* the Tadiq, which rendered it floppy and soggy, defeating its whole purpose.

Did you ask Seb or one of his family members about it?  Sounds like the sort of thing they'd gladly fix.

[DonRocks]

2 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Did you ask Seb or one of his family members about it?  Sounds like the sort of thing they'd gladly fix.

No - it wasn't a big deal! I forgot all about it until we were discussing Convivial. I have *no doubt* that they would have brought out some tadiq had we asked, but we had so much food as it was, that we didn't bother (it was a wonderful meal, btw).

I'm not sure I'd ever had the Hummus here before, but it was really pretty darned good. Not *this* (*) good, but still very good.

(*) Hate to get all philosophical, but are we - with our iPhones, BMWs, and flat-screen TVs - happier than these people? I don't think so.

[arlingtonkabob]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Hate to get all philosophical, but are we - with our iPhones, BMWs, and flat-screen TVs - happier than these people? I don't think so.

Couldn't agree more with this

[dcs]

On 5/5/2013 at 9:37 PM, DonRocks said:

Thank you, Chef Oveysi, for introducing yourself to the community here. I hope all the readers here will take a couple minutes and read Sebastian's thoughtful and engaging introduction.

Even with all the industry professionals we have as members here, this introduction particularly meant a lot to me.

Cheers,

Rocks

The family's background is ever more so remarkable.  Restaurants Without Immigrants? Northern Virginia's dining scene already has a labor shortage. What would it look like without immigrants? by Lisa Lednicer, April 16, 2018, on arlingtonmagazine.com.

[Chef Seb]

On 3/14/2018 at 9:51 AM, DonRocks said:

I had a similar issue at Amoo's last week - we ordered Tadiq along with a stew, and the stew came *on top of* the Tadiq, which rendered it floppy and soggy, defeating its whole purpose.

Im really sorry for the bad experience. Please email me at amoosseb@gmail.com and I'll make sure we make up for the lousy dish.. I hope you have a great weekend. 

[DonRocks]

6 hours ago, Chef Seb said:

Im really sorry for the bad experience. Please email me at amoosseb@gmail.com and I'll make sure we make up for the lousy dish.. I hope you have a great weekend. 

😲

This isn't Yelp!

Last I checked you were still the #1 restaurant in McLean.

[dcs]

At this Persian restaurant, the backstory is as good as the cooking, by Tim Carman, July 17, 2018, on washingtonpost.com.

[DonRocks]

On 3/14/2018 at 9:51 AM, DonRocks said:

I had a similar issue at Amoo's last week - we ordered Tadiq along with a stew, and the stew came *on top of* the Tadiq, which rendered it floppy and soggy, defeating its whole purpose.

On 3/14/2018 at 11:30 AM, Marty L. said:

Did you ask Seb or one of his family members about it?  Sounds like the sort of thing they'd gladly fix.

On 3/14/2018 at 11:45 AM, DonRocks said:

No - it wasn't a big deal! I forgot all about it until we were discussing Convivial. I have *no doubt* that they would have brought out some tadiq had we asked, but we had so much food as it was, that we didn't bother (it was a wonderful meal, btw).

I'm not sure I'd ever had the Hummus here before, but it was really pretty darned good. Not *this* (*) good, but still very good.

(*) Hate to get all philosophical, but are we - with our iPhones, BMWs, and flat-screen TVs - happier than these people? I don't think so.

On 4/26/2018 at 10:44 PM, Chef Seb said:

Im really sorry for the bad experience. Please email me at amoosseb@gmail.com and I'll make sure we make up for the lousy dish.. I hope you have a great weekend. 

On 4/27/2018 at 5:22 AM, DonRocks said:

😲

This isn't Yelp!

Last I checked you were still the #1 restaurant in McLean.

7 hours ago, dcs said:

At this Persian restaurant, the backstory is as good as the cooking, by Tim Carman, July 17, 2018, on washingtonpost.com.

Huh, I guess the Tadiq with stew on top is by design; I thought it was a kitchen mistake. Maybe this is how Persians eat it, I don't know - the crunch seems like it would be the primary raison d'être. Then again, I think it's a sin to dump Old Bay on blue crabs (albeit for entirely different reasons - one is purely tactile; the other olfactory and gustatory). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(Still #1 in McLean, btw)

[DanielK]

17 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Huh, I guess the Tadiq with stew on top is by design; I thought it was a kitchen mistake. Maybe this is how Persians eat it, I don't know - the crunch seems like it would be the primary raison d'être. 

Maybe just an off night/dish? I've had it many times, and in the ~20 minutes between when they plate it, it comes to me, and I eat it, the stew is not enough to stop the tadiq from still being crunchy to the last bite.

[DonRocks]

19 minutes ago, DanielK said:

Maybe just an off night/dish? I've had it many times, and in the ~20 minutes between when they plate it, it comes to me, and I eat it, the stew is not enough to stop the tadiq from still being crunchy to the last bite.

Ah, structural integrity - I didn't think about this: I suppose it wouldn't, or shouldn't, become instantly floppy.

This is exactly why Convivial's Fried Chicken Coq au Vin reminded me of this - if that'd had the structural integrity to remain crunchy, it wouldn't have bothered me, but the once-crunchy chicken skin was made soggy by the sauce, and it just didn't work.