Noon-O-Kabab serves up flavorful Persian shirin polo
Mir Naghavi's dad was an excellent home cook, making "amazing beyond belief" sweets, jams and pickles.
So the family started Noon-O-Kabab in March 1997 in a tiny storefront at 4661 N. Kedzie Ave. Over time, it tripled in size. In 2016, it expanded to a larger and airy space at 4701 N. Kedzie Ave., where they run a takeout operation on one side and dine-in on the other. And the family-run business is still growing: Naghavi is planning to open a ghost kitchen in Lincolnwood where he's also eyeing adding bread production.
The hallmark of Noon-O-Kabab’s cooking is the fresh and flavorful meats and vegetables cooked over an open fire and use of the highest quality ingredients that speak for themselves so it doesn’t have to be doctored up with sauces or other ingredients. There’s also an emphasis on healthy cooking; for example, onion juice in the meat marinades add a lot of flavor without fat, while making the beef and chicken soft and tender.
Among the popular offerings include skewers made by hand and then grilled over an open fire, such as the salmon filet; soltani, a combination of filet mignon and Koubideh, Noon-O-Kabab’s signature ground sirloin, and shirin polo, a brightly colored Persian rice dish that typifies the handcrafted approach the restaurant is known for.
One of the keys to making the perfect rice is cooking it partially, then draining it to eliminate the starch, before completing the steaming process. Then the rice is topped with saffron, housemade orange peel marmalade, pistachio, shredded carrots, golden raisins and Persian barberry, a small tart and tangy dried berry. The result is what is also known as jeweled rice due to the different colors from the fruit and nuts. It can be served with chargrilled vegetables, pomegranate mushrooms or grilled chicken, which is one of the more popular options, Naghavi said.
A common misconception of Persian food, Naghavi said, is that many people think Middle Eastern food is all the same. Persian food is not “harsh,” and is very delicate, he said, with different touches. For example, Persian hummus is a little creamier than what people may be used to.
“We are like America because we have many cultures, many religions in my country,” he said of his native Iran. “Our essence of touching things is a little bit more delicate than surrounding countries. Even though they have their own beautiful culture. Arabian culture is beautiful, but we have separated ourselves. We are very more tender in our approach [to cooking].”
When Naghavi is seated in the light-filled dining room adorned with hand-drawn tiles of Persian art, many people will stop by to say how much they enjoyed their meal or greet him. And he treats each and every one as a friend.
“This is my house. Those are my guests,” he said on a recent Tuesday, as he waves to the guests sitting in dining room.
For Naghavi, who has dedicated much of his life to the study and understanding of human emotions and applying that to his business, Noon-O-Kabab is more than just a business selling food. It’s about relationships.
“If you understand what you're doing, and make sure that your guests are happy, they bring a lot of knowledge and happiness to your relationship. Of course the food has to be wonderful, it has to be good. But the essence of remembering you [your business], through the food is understanding the value of coming here.”