Reyhan, which means basil in Farsi, opened in July 2004. It is the dream of Azita Larijana, who learned the business working at her brothers' Saaghi Persian restaurant on Hamilton Avenue in Campbell.

When her brothers closed their restaurant, Larijana decided to open her own. She liked the location in Willow Glen on Almaden Road, once the home of the Royal Café, a catering business.

Larijana's friend, Carolyn Morris, suggested the name Reyhan, because basil is part of every meal. Though the menu has quite a variety of kabobs including salmon and lamb, Larijana says the most popular dish is soltani, a spiced ground beef kabob, and filet mignon grilled with tomato and served with rice. Koobideh, a grilled spiced tenderloin of beef served with a charbroiled tomato and basmati rice, is also a popular choice, Larijana says.

Most of the main courses are more than $10, but the portions are generous and can be shared. Among the side orders are single-skewer kabobs, salads and appetizers that are under $5.

Larijana goes to extra lengths to provide authenticity in the food and proudly displays the saffron her brother brought back from Iran. She says she buys ingredients every day so the food is fresh.

The restaurant also sells its kabobs, raw or cooked, as take-out.

"We would like to become the leading kabob distributor and replace the hamburgers," co-owner Youra Tarverdi says.

Kabobs are perfect for barbecues, family and corporate parties, Tarverdi says.

A customer in Walnut Creek liked the food so much, he ordered kabobs delivered for his house party, Tarverdi says.

Catering is a major part of the business, Larijana says, which is why she selected the location. It was not to focus on walk-in traffic, but because of the kitchen's size--almost 75 percent of the facility.

"In our kitchen we can cook for 2,500 to 3,000 people," she says.

Since last year the catering side of the business has taken off.

The car dealerships close by have also been a good source of revenue, buying take-out food for their employees, Tarverdi says.

The owners have been pleasantly surprised by the increasing number of walk-ins, which included a soccer team from Seattle. It is not uncommon to see workers in overalls sitting at one table and bejeweled ladies at another, Tarverdi says.

Morris, who eats at Reyhan's frequently, says she hopes the restaurant will make Persian food popular.

Larijana says many customers have heard about the restaurant through word of mouth. This increase in walk-in traffic has also generated an unexpected problem--available table space.

The restaurant can seat only 40 customers at a time and the owners worry that people will have to wait for food. But they are glad to have the problem because it is a sign of success.

Reyhan Restaurant, 1625 Almaden Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information call 408.293.3600.