Mike Mokhtare
Wholesome Choice
“People living in the United States like to explore new worlds of foods. They are open-minded. This area has Chinese, Jewish, Persian, South African, Russian, Indian and Eastern European communities.”
- Mike Mokhtare, owner, Wholesome Choice market
When Mike Mokhtare moved to Irvine after the 1979 “Islamic Revolution” forced him to leave his native Iran, he had to drive 50 miles just to reach a market that sold the Persian foods he missed.
Today, the 57-year-old entrepreneur owns Wholesome Choice, a bustling Irvine grocery store that offers the region’s widest selection of Persian foods. It’s also a cross-cultural smorgasbord where shoppers can find Chinese sauces, kosher fish, Indian curries, Russian breads and Mexican spices.
“People living in the United States like to explore new worlds of foods. They are open-minded,” said Mokhtare. “This area has Chinese, Jewish, Persian, South African, Orthodox Jewish, Russian, Indian and Eastern European communities. Our idea was to bring these different cultures, and also white Caucasians, under one ceiling.”
Mokhtare designed his store to encourage a mingling of cultures there are no separate Persian or Asian aisles. On the juice aisle, imported Persian sour grape juice sits near South African fruit juices, while on the bread aisle, mashadi flat breads share space with traditional American sandwich loaves.
He also offers an extensive selection of prepared hot food, where diners can buy everything from kebabs and tikka masala to sushi and pizza. By stocking hard-to-find kosher foods and halal meats which are prepared and stored according to strict Muslim requirements he has built a loyal following among religious shoppers.
A midday visit to Wholesome Choice suggests that Mokhtare’s vision is paying off. Office workers on their lunch break crowd the counters of Wholesome Choice’s international food court. At the front, cashiers ring up lines of shoppers four to five people deep.
“We are the busiest grocery store in Irvine, in terms of foot traffic, and we are one of the highest sales-volume grocery stores in Orange County,” Mokhtare says.
Mokhtare opened Wholesome Choice in July, 2003, at the corner of Culver and Michelson at the site of a former Wild Oats grocery store. Wholesome Choice now employs 180 people. Mokhtare says he plans to open more stores, and is scouting for locations in south Orange County and San Diego.
No one knows exactly how many Iranian-Americans live in Orange County or in the United States. The U.S. census estimates there are 330,000 Iranian-Americans in the nation, but groups like the National Iranian American Council a Washington-based lobby group estimate the numbers to be three times higher, since census forms do not offer an “Iranian” box to check.
Most of the county’s Iranian-American families immigrated around the time that Mokhtare did, after religious theocrats overthrew Iran’s last shah, Reza Pahlavi, in 1979. Highly educated as a class, Iranian-Americans have ascended the ranks of Orange County’s business, academic and professional circles.
Mokhtare who was born in the city of Tabriz and received an MBA from a Turkish university had founded an import business in Iran just before the revolution. He moved to Irvine with his wife and infant son to start over, becoming a wholesale food importer.
Living as an immigrant in multicultural America enabled Mokhtare to appreciate other cultures and see how an eye for diversity can improve a business’ bottom line.
“When I was living in Iran, I never thought about how other cultures might be important for businesses like ours,” he says. OCM
Kelly St. John is a freelance writer.
http://ocmetro.com/metro041306/cover4_041306.html
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Mystery Diner: Wholesome is as wholesome does
Or so I quickly found out in a visit for a quick lunch at the Wholesome Choice Food Market’s food court – formerly the Wild Oats Market – located at Culver and Michelson.
Two girlfriends and I cased the place – from aisle to aisle – deciding quickly that this is the type of place where you can be either naughty or nice to your diet. Mama mia!
Nestled in a fairly large section of this busy market, which opened in July and is independently owned, visitors will find the food court, which is nothing short of an epicurean’s dream. The various aromas of international flavors alone can send a gourmand or a simple foodie into heaven without even taking a bite of any fare.
Making a beeline for something to eat, we stumbled upon the salad bar, which was attracting quite a few diners with its various greens, colorful veggies and several meats. At $3.99 a pound this is the type of salad bar that one could easily make a meal.
But not really in the mood for another salad, the girls and I decided to be adventurous and let our taste buds do some experimenting — a task definitely not difficult to do here.
Sidestepping the salad lovers, we found ourselves smack in the middle of the main artery of the food court — the World Mix counter. No kidding, there’s everything here from Mexican specialties such as quesadillas ($4.99) and soft shell tacos ($4.99) to Persian dishes including shish kabobs, ($8.99) barg kabobs ($10.99) and Shirin Polo — sautéed sweet orange peel mixed with carrots, pistachios and almonds over saffron rice and served with baked chicken ($9.99).
One friend opted for the Shiren, and later described it as the best chicken dish she had ever tasted. The chicken was moist, tender and incredibly flavorful, she said. The sweet sauce made the dish equally special, as the hint of pistachio was the crowning glory.
My other friend opted for the Fesenjan, ($7.99) a stew-like dish made up of cooked walnuts in a pomegranate sauce, served with a chicken breast and a side of basmati rice. Personally, this is one my favorite dishes and one that I never fail to order when I am at a Persian restaurant. I did invade her meal with a stab of my fork, and I must say, this was some pretty tasty Fesenjan.
As for myself, I decided on a few appetizers, including the Kashk O’ Bademjan — a fried eggplant dish with whey topping, mint and fried onions ($3.99). I also ordered the borani, another favorite, which is a dip, comprised of fresh steamed spinach (Popeye would be proud) nestled on homemade low-fat yogurt with seasonings. The third appetizer was humus, a blend of garbanzo beans pureed, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and of course seasonings. All three appetizers were terrific and definitely hit the spot during the noon hour when we all crave something to get us through the day.
Other menu items I noticed hungry diners enjoying included beautiful pizza pies ($7.99 to $9 or by the slice $1.59) — cheese, pepperoni, veggies, California, Hawaiian — and large stuffed calzones — flavor-sealed, stuffed pizzas with various toppings ($7.99).
A separate grill offers patrons hamburgers and daily specials such as super gooey macaroni and cheese. There’s also rotisserie chicken served hot and some pretty good-looking sandwiches including tuna, tofu and turkey on various baguettes.
How about a cool smoothie to go along with your meal or a fresh squeezed glass of juice? The market has those in addition to an ice cream bar offering premium Persian ice cream. Assortments of pastries including baklava are also showcased for those in need of a sugar fix.
The great thing about this food court is that you can find just about any type of cuisine you wish.
My counterparts and I decided to dine al fresco at one of the many outdoor tables in the front of the store, however, inside tables are also available. We enjoyed eating outside, watching shoppers come and go, but inside looked equally enjoyable. There are a number of wooden tables and chairs, and quiet pop music playing overhead.
If you’re looking to be served here, don’t bother. You place your order, pick it up and look for a place to sit. This is what gives this food court its colorful character — and makes it a nice place to stop for something other than a quart of milk or a loaf of bread.
http://www.irvineworldnews.com/Astories/feb1/dine.htm
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Market brings cultures together
By Tiffany Montgomery
For Irvine World News
Shoppers at a new store in University Park Center can buy tomato paste from Iran, kosher Mexican rice, handmade pizza and a barbecue sauce from Taiwan that is a must for Chinese fondue.
One evening, Persian teenagers joked and ate kebabs near the food court. An Asian mother bought a Persian brand of ice cream for her young son. Two blond boys messily shared a calzone.
This multicultural smorgasbord is the vision of Mike Mokhtare, who opened Wholesome Choice market last year.
Mokhtare, a food importer who lived in Irvine for 20 years before he opened the store, wanted a market that served the diverse communities around it, such as Persian and Chinese. So he leased a 26,000-square-foot former Wild Oats location at the corner of Culver and Michelson drives and invested “millions” to get the store up and running.
The wide product mix – including fresh produce and a food court that serves everything from chicken kebabs and tacos to lasagna and prime rib – has built a following. The store has also received a significant boost from the grocery strike and lockout, which have increased sales by about 25 percent, Mokhtare said.
“ We eat here like every day,” said Adil Ashraf, 20, who is Pakistani. He and his friend Mohamed Jukaku, 22, a business analyst whose family is Indian, like the burgers, which follow halal – food that meets strict Muslim requirements.
By design, the store layout is not segregated – there are no Asian or Persian aisles. Instead, foods are grouped by category. On the juice aisle for example, you will find Persian, Chinese and what the store terms “conventional” brands such as Tree Top.
“ I want my Chinese customers to walk all the aisles and maybe pick up a lemon drink (popular with Persians) and say, ‘Maybe I’ll try this,’?” said Mokhtare, 55. “Or maybe a Middle Eastern customer will see a different kind of noodle and try it.”
Experimentation does happen.
Nancy Wang mainly shops at Wholesome Choice because of convenience. But she also loves the Mashadi bread, a flat, crispy bread made fresh throughout the day.
“ I don’t know the name of it, but it’s so delicious,” she said. “I usually can’t wait. After I check out, I eat it in the car on the way home.”
Mokhtare, who grew up in Iran and earned a master’s degree in business in Turkey, also had the bottom line in mind when he decided to appeal to many ethnicities. In his mind, the store has other customers to fall back on if it falls out of favor with one ethnic group or another.
To implement his vision, Mokhtare hired Everett Barker, the store director at a nearby Albertsons who was familiar with the area’s ethnic diversity. Barker, in turn, hired a manager from the Asian supermarket chain 99 Ranch to be in charge of Asian products and a Persian manager for Middle Eastern goods. Barker handles the “conventional” side of the business.
Overall, the product mix is about 40 percent conventional goods, 30 percent Asian (mostly Chinese), and 30 percent Middle Eastern, Barker said.
Simon Liu, in charge of Asian foods, said space limitations can be challenging when it comes to product mix.
“ We can’t carry 100 percent of the products that other (Asian) stores do,” he said. “But most of what a family needs, we carry.”
Other challenges have cropped up. The store has one large meat case for halal meat, which is prepared and packaged to Muslim standards. Some have complained that the store also carries pork, which Muslims are forbidden to eat.
But the pork is stored in a separate meat case on the opposite end of the meat department. A large selection of fish, poultry and steaks lie in between the two, and workers use different equipment when handling halal meat.
While the store is trying to capture Muslim shoppers, it is also hoping to attract Orthodox Jewish families who live nearby. In addition to the kosher food aisle, Mokhtare is planning to add a kosher meat-cutting and packaging room when the store is remodeled.
Marketing to followers of the two faiths that are fighting in the Middle East has not caused any problems here, said Mokhtare, who was raised Muslim but doesn’t consider himself particularly religious. “Some people will see the kosher or halal signs and will not come back,” he said. “But most people these days appreciate the idea of selling to everybody.”
Rabbi Joel Landau of nearby Beth Jacob Congregation of Irvine, an Orthodox synagogue, has been helping the store improve its kosher offerings. Members of his synagogue have been shopping at Wholesome Choice.
“ The store is owned by Persian Muslims, but I don’t think anybody gives a hoot,” Landau said. “This is America. When you have good quality and good prices, you have a good business.”
Selling to everybody is exactly what Mokhtare wants to do. He plans to open more Wholesome Choice markets, and he’s eyeing south Orange County and San Diego for expansion. Eventually, Mokhtare envisions having a chain of stores filled with goods he imports or buys directly from vendors instead of going through middlemen, which would increase profits.
Mike Timme, 40, says Barker and Mokhtare have hit on a winning formula. Though the market is not perfect – he said sometimes produce stays out too long – store manager Barker has been responsive to his requests.
Plus, Timme enjoys everybody mixing together there. He tried to shop at a nearby Middle Eastern market but didn’t feel welcome.
“ Isn’t this what America is all about?” he asked. “We’re all here shopping together, and Aretha Franklin is playing over the stereo.”
http://216.173.246.226/Astories/feb12/market.htm
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Let someone else cook it
These takeout spots are even more appealing during the holiday season.
By ANDREW HORAN
The Orange County Register
It's the time of year when the art of taking out rises to new levels around our place.
We really appreciate someone else doing the hard work of making a hot meal during these weeks between holidays. That way, we can concentrate on the side dish we're taking to Aunt Martha's for the holiday party, while the good folks behind the grills stoke our eat-at-home fires.
Hundreds of restaurants offer carryout, of course. Dozens more markets are in the take-away game, too. I've singled out two favorites here: one for home, one for work.
At Wholesome Choice market in Irvine, it's all about the chicken and beef cooking on grills. Most of the place is a grocery store with a wide variety of packaged and butchered foods.
But the heart of the store is the food court, a carryout section that dominates a fourth of the building - and a fourth of the market's sales volume, store director Israel Garcia says.
It is Persian to the core. Kebabs rule. The grill menu is simple: six kinds of kebab dinners.
Sure, shish kebab and its cousins have become something of a staple at backyard barbecues. Yet the fresh meats on the open-flame grill are an order of magnitude better than any I've ever tasted.
Our favorites are joojeh kebab ($6.99), simply flavored with lime, saffron and olive oil. Barg kebab ($8.99) is quartered filet mignon with onions. The shish kebab (chicken or beef) is succulent and filling, if a bit more familiar ($10.99).
On busy nights - that's most nights - there's a line at the grill.
It's what you do between order and pickup that can make your meal rise from nice to spectacular. Use the 20 minutes it takes for your food to be cooked and stand in a few more lines. Get side dishes like red-pepper hummus and Bulgarian feta from the deli counter.
Go to the front of the store and get in line for fresh mashadi ($1.99 a loaf), a flat bread with toasted sesame seeds that's sweet and tangy and a perfect place to spread the hummus and feta. They've just relocated the bread station from the food court and installed what Garcia claims is the only true Persian hearthstone oven in Orange County.
There are a few changes in the food court, too. Where once they baked bread, new grills are open for fresh Indian and Mexican fare. Coming soon: Chinese and Italian.
Don't miss the soup station, where the lines and the jostling grow intense, especially on these cool - cold! - winter nights. Bypass the chicken noodle and chili - not that there's anything wrong with them. It's the ash reshteh ($2.49 for 16 ounces) you want. The classic Persian noodle and mint soup is aromatic and soothing to your palate, your tummy, your soul.
Get the largest container you can carry.
You can rush home to eat, or join dozens of folks who sit and dine at tables near the front of the store in a cozy section that's complete with a set of toys to keep your kids distracted between bites.
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2004/12/03/sections/entertainment/et_dining_nightlife/article_330859.php
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Wholesome Choice is the most diverse supermarket in Orange County—maybe Southern California—a garden of produce delights where Armenian cherry preserves, Polish kielbasa, Middle Eastern cream cheese, organic eggs and Tapatío exist within a three-aisle radius. Its food court is a United Nations buffet of Italian, Japanese, Indian, Persian and Chinese cuisine stations. But the free Farsi-language magazines near the store’s entrance don’t lie: Wholesome Choice specializes in Persian produce and nowhere is this more apparent than in the bakery near the entrance.
This isn’t a dessert bakery à la the rosewater-drenched sweets of Assal Pastry or any of the county’s marquee Persian pastry shops but something more rustic—one of the Southland’s few places that roll out fresh Persian flatbreads. And not just lavash, the half-pita, half-naan that’s a staple of Iranian restaurants. There’s barbari, a thick golden loaf best for breakfast, and the tangy, sesame seed-studded mashadi. The Wholesome Choice bakery also produces such standards as crispy baguettes, whole-grain loaves and the like. But the star attraction is sangak, a thin, toasted flatbread as crucial to Iranian identity as Rumi.
To see Wholesome Choice bake its sangak is truly a pleasure because you get to view our brave new Orange County. The crew is equal parts Persian and Mexican, and they communicate via the language of toil. They knead the sangak dough into shape, then slide each loaf into the giant hearthstone oven. A multicultural line waits patiently for the bread to finish—maybe five minutes.
When the sangak is ready, the customers usually stare in awe. When done, Wholesome Choice’s sangak averages four feet in length—quite possibly the longest foodstuff that isn’t a party submarine sandwich. It’s crispy and gnarled thanks to pebbles inside the oven that lightly char the bread and leave pockmarks on it. Its wheaty, smoky, dense charm is irresistible, a great companion to whatever food you may eat. Sangak is also great as a snack when combined with various spreads—perhaps hummus or babaghanoush, or even some tabbouleh. Best is sangak smeared with the traditional Persian side of must-o-kheyar, yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber and mint, which Wholesome Choice stocks in tubs.
Each sangak baked is a moment, a time to reflect on the beauty of life, of multicultural Orange County, of food. But the Mexican and Persian bakers don’t blink. They grab the sangak, cut it into big squares, then stuff the steaming slices into a bag and hand it to the waiting customer.
WHOLESOME CHOICE, 18040 CULVER DR., IRVINE, (949) 551-4111; WWW.WHOLESOMECHOICE.COM.
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