For Nasrollah and Samira Mohammadi, serving their guests is an honor at Emran Restaurant and Market

In Afghanistan, hosting guests for a meal is considered an honor. Hours are spent preparing the finest food in a family’s pantry, and the table is set with beautiful linens.

“In our culture, guests are very important – like God giving us gifts,” Nasrollah Mohammadi said. “It is a blessing to serve them.”

That’s the feeling he wants customers to experience when they walk through the doors of Emran Restaurant and Market – the first Afghan restaurant in Spokane.

Mohammadi and his wife, Samira, have created an oasis of elegance at the location of the former Heavenly Special Teas.

The venue now vibes with Middle Eastern flair, thanks to the three carpeted booths filled with pillows and bolsters and draped with red velvet curtains.

“My wife made all the curtains, and we sewed them together,” he said.

Diners are invited to remove their shoes and sit cross-legged, dining family-style as is customary in Afghanistan. For those not as limber, there are plenty of red-topped tables available.

Though they just opened the eatery in late November, it’s long been their dream.

“We made a plan for this years ago,” Mohammadi said.

He, Samira, and their three children arrived in Spokane in 2014 via Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. With them came the memories, knowledge and recipes they tasted through their travels.

The couple worked in the industry overseas but knew they had to learn Western business methods.

“I worked at Walmart to learn business,” he explained. “Business here is completely different than on the other side of the world.”

On a recent morning, a steady stream of customers flowed through the restaurant. A semitruck driver parked his rig and picked up a to-go order, friends stopped by to chat, and two pairs of adventurous eaters settled into a couple of booths to experience family-style dining.

Samira is the chef and prefers to let her cooking speak for her, but she pointed out one of her favorite dishes on the menu – Kabuli Pulau.

Redolent with turmeric, curry and coriander, and cooked with raisins, carrots, and beef or lamb, the rice dish is a traditional staple in Afghanistan.

Manto, dumplings filled with ground lamb or beef and seasoned with garlic, turmeric and coriander, proved popular with diners, but make no mistake, this is not a fast-food restaurant.

“Manto is difficult to make,” said Mohammadi. “It takes time – 20 minutes.”

Bolani is also garnering rave reviews. The flaky flatbread is filled with potatoes and leeks. Kabobs featuring lamb, beef or chicken offer diners more familiar choices.

The couple opted to launch with a small menu but plans to expand their offerings as the business grows.

While waiting for a meal or after dining, customers can explore the market adjacent to the dining room. The market features everything you need to host an Afghani dinner at home. Rolls of red carpets, gleaming metal trays and pretty plates mingle among embroidered gowns, flowing scarves and crates of walnuts and raisins.

Mohammadi is pleased with their reception.

“Spokane people seem to like us,” he said. “And we love Spokane people.”

He hopes guests will understand that he and Samira are serving more than traditional foods; they are serving the memories of the countries they lived in and are sharing their story through food.

For them, the emotion infusing their dishes is equally as important as the ingredients.

“It’s not just the food, it’s the feeling that makes the food,” Mohammadi said. “Guests coming to the restaurant make us happy, and that makes the food taste even better.”

Contact Cindy Hval at dchval@juno.com.