Zood will soon be serving “good food fast” at Fashion Island’s Atrium Food Court in Newport Beach. The concept is brought to us by chef Mandana Shabani, who tells What Now Orange County that they are gearing up to open in the beginning of October.
Shabani says that the menu will feature Iranian cuisine with a California bent. Think gyros, doners and shawarma with Persian flavors, which typically feature a lot less garlic and onion. Items such as Saffron-marinated chicken and beef, house-made falafel and traditional Persian sides, such as an eggplant dip with mint oil, will offer a fresh and balanced take on general Mediterranean cuisine.
California’s influence will be on display with the innovative salad menu, featuring ingredients such as roasted carrots and lentils, pomegranate molasses vinaigrette, pickled beets and pistachios. Raised in California, Shabani graduated from the French culinary institute in New York before moving to Dubai to own and operate a vegan friendly cafe.
She and her husband moved back to California at the start of 2020, when plans to open Zood were put on hold by the pandemic. Over the past couple years, Shabhani has offered private chef services in Orange County, serving healthy upscale cuisine that she is now excited to share with the community through Zood. For updates, follow @eatzood on Instagram.
