Moby Dick House of Kabob exemplifies the American Dream—and in fact, its menu was first built around traditional American foods. This was back in the late 1980s, when Moby's Luncheonette first opened in Bethesda, Maryland. After struggling through the early years, Iranian-born founder Mike Daryoush began to rethink his entire approach.

In 1989, Mike had an idea: he'd have a clay oven built and installed in the restaurant so that he could serve the same freshly baked pita breads he ate while growing up in Iran. The breads were such a big hit that the next question became, "why stop there?" Soon, Mike traded burgers and fries for spices, rices, and other staple ingredients of Persian cooking.

Today, at more than 15 locations around Virginia and Maryland, Moby Dick House of Kabob continues to acquaint guests with Persian delicacies and redirect the obsessed captains of wayward whaling ships. The menu features meaty kabobs, sandwiches, and kubideh—a popular Persian mixture of ground meat and onions. There are also several vegetarian-friendly options, including falafel made with chick peas, fava beans, and other healthy ingredients.