Both the former and the current lead restaurant critics at the San Francisco Chronicle agree: There is a hidden gem in the food court at the former Westfield mall, soon to rebrand again to become the San Francisco Centre.

The San Francisco Centre, recently known as the Emporium San Francisco Centre and formerly known as the Westfield San Francisco Centre, is going up for auction next week. And while it is a bit more vacancy-plagued than it was before the pandemic, and before Nordstrom closed up shop last year, there have been positive signs of a turnaround. And the food court in the basement, adjacent to the Powell Street BART station, continues draw customers.

Shake Shack may still be the most popular spot in the food court, but there has been a growing following for Mashaallah Halal Pakistani Food Restaurant, which grew out of a food-truck operation and moved into a brick-and-mortar stall here in 2022.

Former Chronicle critic Soleil Ho "whispered" on Instagram back in January, "just between us, this spot in the Westfield mall basement, with suuuper tender lamb korma and freshly made garlic naan, is the best lunch option in downtown SF right now."

That clearly tempted newly installed critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan, who took over the job earlier this year, to check the place out — also given its proximity to the Chronicle's offices.

And, yes, Chung Fegan is also a fan of that lamb korma, as well as the tandoor-roasted seekh kebab and the marinated lamb chops — which are an item, she notes, that are cooked to order and require a 15-minute wait.

She also raves about the palak paneer, calling it "a buttery, earthy wonder." And she has high praise for the homemade paratha and "the brobdingnagian lamb shank," which is braised and served over biryani rice — as she says, "not your typical mall food."

The marinated, tandoor-grilled chicken is served on "feathery" bread with condiments, but she seems to advise against the pre-made chicken tikka masala, which is one of the quicker options out of the steam tray.

Also, charmingly, husband-and-wife owners and co-chefs Mohammad Waqar and his wife Rabia work side-by-side in the kitchen every day, as they did when they ran their food truck.

Anyway, this kind of comfort food is what all of us will be craving for days and weeks to come. So, it's always good to have this kind of recommendation — especially if you find yourself on a whirlwind holiday shopping day around Union Square.

Photo courtesy of the restaurant