The Grove’s selection of international cuisine is about to expand as Sameem Afghan Restaurant owner Fahime Mohammad looks to open his new restaurant, Sabzi, in the former home of Iron & Rye at 4353 Manchester Ave., in mid- to late March.
Mohammad said the name loosely translates to “greenery” or “vegetables,” which is fitting, as Sabzi will focus on vegan and vegetarian cuisine from several cultures.
“[Sameem] connected me with a lot of people,” Mohammad said, “and taught me how to connect ideas together.”
He said he believes St. Louis’ current entertainment and technology boom – from the new MLS soccer stadium to The Foundry to the Cortex – has been responsible for growth in The Grove. “We’re all part of that. It’s like an ecosystem,” he said.
While an a la carte menu will be available for lunch and dinner, the centerpiece of Sabzi is a vegan/vegetarian buffet that will be available by reservation. Each seating will last around an hour, Mohammad said, allowing customers to “save time, eat a lot and eat fresh food.” Walk-ins will be welcome if there is space available.
Between the buffet and the regular menu, Sabzi will offer dishes like house-made veggie burgers, wraps, pizza, stuffed breads and sauteed vegetable dishes. Dips like guacamole, hummus and baba ghanoush will be available, as well.
The dinner menu will include a broad seafood section including fish like walleye, fried trout, salmon, shrimp and curried fish. Mohammad said the seafood menu’s centerpiece will be a shrimp and vegetable pasta.
Mohammad intends to offer a breakfast/brunch on weekends that will serve more Middle Eastern-style morning meals, which usually entail “a big table of fresh fruit, vegetables, baba ghanoush, hummus, Turkish coffee and even a veggie patty,” he said.
Beverages slated for Sabzi include hot drinks like tea and coffee, smoothies and fresh juice. Here’s a closer look at The Grove’s newest vegetarian/vegan restaurant.
Adam Rothbarth is the staff writer at Sauce Magazine.
This article appears in March 2020.