Samira

HISTORY

The owners of Samira have a unique and fascinating connection with Bloomington. It was 1981 and Anwar Naderpoor, a college student in Kabul, did not want to be in the military during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. So instead, he went to France where he ultimately met  his wife. She and him went to Virginia. In Indianapolis ,a family friend ran a restaurant called Kabul.  Anwar and his wife moved to Indy and he began working there. 

Meanwhile, his Dad ran a carpet store in Kabul. He was killed by the Mujahid militia group and the rest of Anwar’s family decided to move to America, including his brother Shafik. 

Shafik had a long journey to the US. When he arrived, he lived two years with his brother Anwar working at Kabul. Also Shafik worked at an italian restaurant for free part time.   

Shafik  and Anwar raised  money  for  Samira. In the year 1997 he stopped working at Kabul and started Samira in Bloomington.  Shafik and Anwar came  to  Bloomington  because  their  in-laws  lived  there. Eventually, Shafik and his wife opened a coffee shop which is known as Turkuaz  cafe.

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

Samira restaurant provides awesome Afghan food. One thing that is unique about Samira restaurant is everything is freshly made.  One of the core values of Samira is to help refugees.  The reason why Samira restaurant is important is because it was the first Afghan restaurant in Bloomington. .You can get takeout.  One of the core values of Samira restaurant is to help refugees.  Shafik  and  Anwar give the  refugees food and gives them a dish called Kabuli plaw . Kabuli plaw has raisins, rice,  beef,  lamb, and carrots. Also, the  owners  of  Samira  participated  in  MCLP  dine-in  for  funds  for  the  public library . Additionally, Anwar  worked  with the  Bloomington  Historic  Preservation  to  renovate  the  building.

A tale of two brothers article by  Peter Dorfman

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