There are quite a few things that stand out about Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen. It offers a zero-proof beverage program and a 100% halal (complying with Islamic dietary laws) menu. It is the first-ever Michelin-recognized Pakistani restaurant in Southern California and has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since opening its first location in 2020 in Fullerton.
On July 16, chef-partner Imran Ali Mookhi opened the third location, following the second in Hawaiian Gardens, on Santa Monica Boulevard at 1st Street. It was formerly Tumbi Craft Indian Kitchen, and because the space was occupied by a restaurant, it only took about three to four months to transform it into Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen.
On the food menu are shareable, street-inspired dishes such as Pani Puri, goat cheese Kulcha with butter tomato sauce and the signature Sloppy Khan, a riff on a Sloppy Joe, filled with grass-fed wagyu beef. The beverage menu, curated by mixologist Ahmad Hosseini, offers refreshing mocktails such as the Basanti Ecstasy with lavender-infused molasses and lime and Devil’s Kiss with passion fruit, lime and jalapeño.
The drink program is inspired by the street drinks in Pakistan and India, relayed Mookhi.
“If they are selling street food on the corner, there will be a counter next to it where they’ll be serving non-alcoholic drinks,” he explained. “Our concept was, you can create a whole experience of being at a bar without getting drunk. All three of the different menus at the various locations have different drinks, and it gives you the hint of being in Pakistan and India.”
“For example, there is a food that only happens in India and Pakistan,” he continued. “It’s the falsa berry. I grew up drinking it almost every day in the summertime in Pakistan. As soon as I was able to get those imported here, we put it on the menu, and the Falsatini is our No. 1 seller, because people, especially people from Pakistan and India, they know about this food, and they’re like, I have memories drinking that back home. We try to bring back people’s memories from their childhood.”
Mookhi came to the United States in 2000 at age 18. While he was pursuing a degree in computer science, he also got a job at an Indian restaurant as a dishwasher. He quickly progressed to prep and then line cook. His time in the kitchen became more enjoyable than school. Mookhi decided to not only to stay in the industry but that he would make an impact.
In 2004, Mookhi opened his first restaurant, Tantra, in Silver Lake. After selling it in 2012, he ran the kitchen at Tamarind of London in Newport Coast. In 2017, he moved to San Francisco to consult for Dosa, a South Indian concept.
Life got truly interesting in 2020 when he opened the first location of Khan Saab in Fullerton.
“That’s when everything changed,” he shared. “I got the Michelin recognition and then expanded from one to three restaurants.”
It was during this time, mid-2021, that Mookhi returned to Pakistan to learn more about food, culture and technique. He wanted to “invest in myself,” he said.
He immersed himself in the art of street food and hatched a plan to convert the offerings into a restaurant environment. It was a challenge because the California Department of Public Health has strict codes.
“There are a few dishes that I’m still working on how to execute,” Mookhi admitted.
The spicy factor may be an issue for some guests at Khan Saab. It is recommended to inquire about levels of spiciness, which can be modified to the customer’s taste.
“We really care about spices in our kitchen,” said Mookhi. “First, I make sure I get good quality. We get our spices directly imported from Pakistan and India. There are a few dishes that we can compromise on a spice level. But if you come in and ask me, I want a biryani, but can you make it mild? I can’t do it because this measurement of spices, that’s what it takes. If I change that ingredient, then it’s not going to taste the same. We try our best to keep the menu balanced, because some dishes are meant to be eaten medium spicy.”
In addition to the flavors of Pakistan and Indian, Mookhi is passionate about people experiencing their meal. It is why a server prepares some of the street food menu items at a cart that is rolled tableside.
Luckily, the other two Khan Saab locations have strong followings, and only time will tell, but things are looking good for Santa Monica.
“People come to us because of the way we do our table setup that reminds them of how they grew up,” Mookhi said. “Eating on a steel plate, drinking water from steel cups. We have customers that come three to four times a week.”
Since 2000, Mookhi has studied, crafted and elevated South Asian cuisine—not in culinary school but in the kitchen and on the street. He is immensely proud of the Michelin recognition. “One of the biggest achievements I could ever get,” he recalled.
“We want people to know what our culture is, what our food heritage is,” he said. “It’s good to take the food to go, but we want you to come in and have that experience as well.”
Khab Saan is located at 115 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, 424-744-8001; khansaaboc.com.