Bistro SF Grill: Your home away from home
Bistro SF Grill is an inconspicuous gem in Noe Valley with a warm and inviting ambiance. The chandelier lit space is surrounded by maroon walls featuring eclectic, local art. Travel-bug inducing pictures surround diners and during non pandemic times there is live music every night. The menu is an interesting mix of exotic burgers and Central and Eastern European staples. I had the pleasure of interviewing the charming owners, Hasim Zecic and Seni Felic as they started to tackle a Monday dinner rush.
Hasim and Seni hail from Bosnia, which is a part of the former Yugoslavia, a country that was fragmented by war in the 1990s. A series of ethnic and religious conflicts broke the once prosperous country into seven independent entities and forced millions to seek refuge all around the world. These countries, in addition to a few neighbors, are referred to as the Balkans.
The two met as students in 1985 in Zagreb, Croatia. Hasim was studying chemistry and Seni was studying biochemistry and food science. Their studies were interrupted by the war; Hasim fled to Germany and Seni to the States. In a pre-social media world, they lost touch completely. After five years in Germany, Hasim came to the Bay and one weekend, went wine tasting at Grgich Hills winery in Napa Valley. When he mentioned he was Bosnian, the owner asked him if he would like to meet a Bosnian guy working at the winery. Hasim was stunned when his old friend Seni appeared.
At the time, both men were working full time in “extremely draining” corporate jobs. Seeking to do something more stimulating and social, Seni started a hugely popular burger stand at farmer’s markets. His customers insisted he start a brick and mortar business, which he declined because he thought running a restaurant was too big of a responsibility. He finally caved when a customer found a location he could rent and looped Hasim into his new venture.
Bistro SF Grill opened as a catering business in Pacific Heights in 2010. Seni and Hasim had little culinary knowledge outside of working in cafes back home. But they did have the “natural cooking talent of Balkan people”, passion for the business, and bottomless hospitality. In 2016, they moved to their current location. The larger kitchen allowed them to expand their menu and widen their eclectic wine list, which includes many wines sourced from small wineries abroad. “We never thought we would end up on the other end of the world, running a restaurant,” says Hasim.
They did not simply wish to make a profit, but to create a feeling of home, of “coziness”. “It’s not, I feed you, you're not hungry, you go home and you sleep. We want you to sit here and tell us your secrets and your knowledge. Food is about connection” says Seni. They insist that Bistro SF Grill is not a Bosnian, Croatian or Balkan restaurant, but a fusion restaurant. They utilize traditional cooking techniques while maintaining a creative, lighthearted approach to their food. In Bosnia you don’t plan ahead, Seni explains. “ You saute some onions and then figure out what you are cooking.”
“Food affects your life and your thoughts. It can create wellness or depression. Food made with love and good ingredients can elevate society. We are in a blessed position to be where we are, working to make a little contribution to our home.” Seni says.
Both are proud and thankful to be San Francisco residents and Americans. When asked what being an American means to him, Hasim replies:
“It is very multilayered. It means belonging to the free world where many people find refuge. For me, it means running away from dictators or economic disasters or looking for a better life. I am very happy my kid is growing up here because I don’t want him to experience what I did. It’s not a perfect country but we immigrants will make it perfect.”
Since mid March, the team at Bistro SF Burger has been serving at cost take out meals for $5.50. Their goal is to help their community access freshly made, affordable food during the shelter-in-place order. Lunch is served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m and only cash payments are currently accepted.
Written by Lana Radosavljevic