PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 55 Saif also loved how food from the Levant region of the Middle East, which includes Lebanon, Jordan and Iran, was more prevalent in Australia than it is in the Bay Area, thanks to the large Lebanese population. “I was used to Middle Eastern eateries being little falafel shops here in the States,” he says. “But over there, Middle Eastern restaurants are about quality food served in a vibrant yet casual setting. Everything, from the food to the décor, was more vibrant. I thought people would enjoy that in the Bay Area as well.” As a self-taught cook who has always loved to eat, Saif has manned Mazra’s kitchen from day one, developing, researching and, to this day, tinkering with pepper sauce, the brined garlicand-herb rotisserie chicken and the whole roasted heirloom cauliflower coated in lemon and tahini dressing—customers are willing to stand in a line that extends down the block during peak dinner hours on most nights. But their patience doesn’t go unrewarded. “We have to set you up for success as a customer,” Saif declares. “Garlic sauce and chili sauce doesn’t need to be asked for. It comes with your food here. And for to-go orders, we never serve our main dishes in a threecompartment box. Our salads are packaged separately so the steam from the meat doesn’t affect the salad. We used to take the food home as if we were a customer and open it up to test how things tasted and looked.” Meticulously crafted food and welcoming vibes have become a winning combination for Mazra. the most finite details of a dish to make it better. “Our obsession is with the simplest things,” he says. “It’s about how you treat every ingredient in the process of making it. With so many people waiting in line, I can’t just give them tabbouleh that was made hours ago. I just can’t. We will throw things away before we serve it to a customer if it’s not good enough.” Younger brother Jordan enjoys interacting with customers and making sure they take care of everyone who walks through the door. “For me, my passion is with the front of the house,” he says. “My brother and I like to make sure that our customers are comfortable. It’s so much more than just breaking bread together but making sure everyone’s having a good time.” To get their hands on popular dishes—like Mazra’s famous six-hour lamb shank with roasted
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