Fundraiser to be Held at Sister Concept Khan Saab in Fullerton in Support of Restaurant Staff
Mint Indian Restaurant, an Indian-Pakistani restaurant located at 25381 Alicia Pkwy in Laguna Hills, has postponed its Grand Reopening which was scheduled for late last month due to an unfortunate fire at the restaurant on May 5th. After months of extensive renovations to the restaurant’s space, the unforeseen closure will extend through the foreseeable future, with a planned reopening for late 2022 or early 2023. The restaurant’s sister concept, Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen, will host an ongoing fundraiser, through Mint’s reopening, where 10% of all sales will be dedicated to supporting Mint’s staff.
In the early morning of May 5, 2022, at approximately 3 am, there was a fire reported at Mint. According to the OCFA, firefighters responded to the strip mall where Mint is located at 3:03 am when it was reported that there was smoke coming from the building. The fire was isolated to one part of the restaurant with no one present at the time. There were no injuries sustained, as well as no major damage to the nearby establishments. Bringing in additional firefighters and equipment, the responding crew completely extinguished the flames within 17 minutes and OCFA remained on scene for 4 hours to ensure full safety.
“We want to express our utmost appreciation and gratitude to the Orange County Fire Authority for acting swiftly and courageously to avoid the fire from spreading further throughout the restaurant and neighboring businesses,” said Mint’s head chef Jamil Hosseini. “We are incredibly grateful that there were no injuries sustained by any of our staff or neighbors and while this has been a truly devastating time, we look forward to rebuilding Mint and serving our Laguna Hills and greater Orange County community again. Thank you to our loyal customers, whom we consider to be our extended family, for your outpouring of support.”
Beginning today, Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen, located in downtown Fullerton, will be holding a fundraiser to support Mint’s staff. For the duration of Mint’s rebuild, which is estimated to take 6 to 8 months, 10% of Khan Saab’s monthly sales will be directly donated to financially assist the team during the closure.
“We were devastated by the unfortunate fire at our sister restaurant, Mint, and we are dedicated to supporting the staff and team throughout the rebuild,” said Khan Saab’s Executive Chef, Imran “Ali” Mookhi. “Mint was a Laguna Hills mainstay for many loyal guests, especially those who practice Halal in Orange County. Until Mint reopens, we hope to offer a place for Mint’s community of fans to enjoy familiar, high-quality Desi Halal cuisine in its absence.”
With an objective of challenging the perception that Pakistani & Indian concepts in the West solely adhere to casual dining formats, Mint began extensive renovations to revamp the beloved restaurant and menu in early 2022. The Grand Reopening was set to be a defining moment, re-introducing Mint to Orange County and to showcase the elegant possibilities of regional Desi cuisine with a reinvigorated menu and modernized space. Designed by Hana Mousavi of Savi Interiors, Mint’s dining space was fully reimagined to create an ambiance that is both inviting and elevated, mirroring Mint’s philosophy to provide a modern interpretation of Indian & Pakistani dining. Anchoring the space were long deep blue velour booths, a mix of blush velour chairs and studded leather seats. Exposed brick walls projecting black & white movies, a wood-beamed ceiling, modern light fixtures, a marbled bar, and ornate decor were also incorporated to create a sophisticated, yet welcoming space. Similar design choices will be incorporated into the post-fire rebuild.
For more information and to stay up to date on Mint’s reopening, visit mintindianfoods.com or follow them on Instagram at @mint.oc.
