After over two years in development, Los Angeles-based Lebanese chain FurnSaj Bakery & Restaurant has opened its first San Diego location.
Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Charlie Succar and his brother Mel opened the original FurnSaj Bakery in a strip mall in the Granada Hills area of Los Angeles in late 2013, and the eatery now has four locations. Charlie had previously worked in product development at Sara Lee and Nature's Harvest prior to opening his own bakery. The name "FurnSaj" refers to the authentic "furn" oven used to make the thin Middle Eastern flatbread known as "saj", which is the basis for many dishes at the restaurant.
Like the other three locations currently in operation, the San Diego branch of Furn Saj Bakery serves a menu centered around Lebanese breads baked daily in a stove oven, as well as pizzas, grilled platters and oven-fired flatbread sandwiches with fillings like shawarma and falafel. Diners will see shawarma spits rotate slowly from an open kitchen where falafel patties are hand crafted to order. There is also a bakery case filled with items like mana'ish vegetable and cheese pies, Kafta hummus pie, and saroukh - a cheese and spice-filled bread. For dessert, expect items like rice pudding, custard, Nutella pizza, and tahini bread topped with sugar. Based on the success of the first location, more outposts of Furn Saj may open in San Diego in the coming years.
Furn Saj Bakery & Restaurant is now open at 3888 Fourth Avenue in San Diego's Hillcrest community. For more information, visit furnsaj.com.
