I was looking for a special night out in Hamilton (something I'd never had to do in the past) and…read moremy research took me to an Airbnb experience that was this hidden gem. I'd never experienced anything like Saha in the past (the closest thing would be Urban Acorn Catering) but what Chef Khalil does with Saha is run a pop up restaurant at his own place in Hamilton that serves up a top of the line Middle Eastern Tasting Menu that he makes and plays host along with his lovely wife. We had a 5 course tasting menu, but with Chef Khalil being so fantastic, we ended up with a total of 9 wonderful courses (10 if you count the Arabic coffee to finish). Left feeling very full and just blown away at this delicious and wonderfully intimate experience. I won't go in to very detailed descriptions of the courses, but in all honesty every single one was a highlight, it was very difficult to pick a favourite, for me it was probably the Halibut, with Arabian tapenade that also had crispy chicken skin, I don't think I've ever had a fish dish topped with chicken and it was amazing! The feast for the eyes was definitely his dessert, a pomegranate mouse surrounded by cardamom meringues! Those 2 dishes looked amazing but tasted even better!! Red meat is my least favourite thing to eat, so I appreciated the rib of lamb not being massive, and appreciated it even more that it was a medium rare delight! What really made this evening special was the ambiance that Chef Khalil and his wife sets in their living room, a small intimate space perfect for a romantic night with a nice tall table candle and Arabic music to go with it. Throughout the evening chef would keep checking on us to make sure everything was going great, and talk about the dish we were about to have. He makes everything in house, which really blew me away, considering it was just for 2 of us and he makes such a large variety of dishes! It is BYOW, and I'm glad I messaged him beforehand to ask for his recommendation for what type of wine to bring along, since even my clumsy selection of wine worked out great thanks to his suggestion. While I found Saha through Airbnb I would recommend people just go to it via his regular website to get more info and make reservations too (cheaper than Airbnb).Chef Khalil hopes to open Saha as an intimate restaurant in Toronto next year, and I don't think there is anyone else doing a middle eastern tasting menu, but even compared to the tasting menus of O&B and the momofuku's in the world, Saha truly holds up, and I can't recommend this pop up version enough, especially for the price of close to $100/person (or less if you opt for fewer courses) it's truly a steal! I wish him and his wife the best moving forward!

Came here a few times for early dinner a few times and enjoyed it both times…read more I ordered the small chicken madhi plate, which is very filling. We didn't have to wait long before the food was served. The chicken came off the bone so easily, and it was nicely seasoned as well. The dish came on a large bed of rice and a delicious lentil soup, along with dipping sauce. The price was pretty affordable given the size as well. The place was brightly lit and there was lots of space each time I went. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

This was my first time trying Mandi and boy, it was delicious!…read more I wonder why I had never tried this before. Their slow-cooked lamb mandi plate was the star of the show for me. I am usually that person who does this like lamb as much coz of the smell but trust me when I say, this was the softest and juiciest no-smell lamb I have ever had. It was melt-in-your-mouth soft and packed with flavor! The rice portion was enough for 2-3 people to share depending on how hungry you are. It also comes with fried onions and potato on the rice. The chicken and lamb mixed mandi was good too but honestly after trying the lamb, I was sold! However, I did like the rice on the chicken mandi better than the lamb one. I thought it tasted better. The place was quite busy and it's an order-at-counter system they follow but the food was brought in quickly which is appreciated.

Pretty good place I cannot lie. I ordered - Half Chicken…read morewith Rice & Salad - Sharhat Mtafayah - Lentil Soup To start, the half chicken with rice and salad was delicious. Chicken was juicy, salad was perfection. I would definitely have this again. For the Sharhat, I unfortunately had to send it back as the thin beef slice was overcooked which made it dry and very chewy. Like I was chewing for a while lol. Lentil soup was as expected and it was delicious. Our server was attentive and she smiled at us a few times during our meal. She was very polite and I have no issues with staff. The ambiance is really nice. I love the style and how the restaurant was put together. It definitely was great.

The restaurant is small so book a reservation in advance. It was a bonus to get free parking in the…read moreplaza in Streetsville. The food, okay so we ordered hummus with lamb. My oh my, was it delicious! We were so full from the hummus that we had to take both our mains home. For mains, we got these: 1. Kebab with rice and salad (2 skewers) - loved it 2. Dawood basha with rice (juicy meatball stew) - I didn't love this because I hate the ketchup kinda taste. No pictures of the mains as we were too full and got them to go. Service was polite but it was a game day lunch time so a little loud for me. I would love to go back to try out their breakfast and the Kufta Nafisa which has onions, mushrooms and halloumi cheese in it and they were sold out.

Stopped by for lunch after a rare day of working away from home. The service is quick and no…read morenonsense, you order at the counter with the food, pay and eat there or takeaway. Got the chicken shawarma platter and it comes with a tonne of food if you're feeling hungry! Ample amounts of garlic sauce, hummus, chickpea and green salad, roasted potatoes and picked veg with chicken shawarma over a bed of rice (choice of yellow or brown). The prices are reasonable for the quantity and the location slap bang in the middle of downtown. One of the better spots for Middle Eastern food in the area.

I wasn't feeling very well a my friend was showing my around Toronto. A friend of a friend…read morerecommended me this place, as he said how amazing it was while he was in college. Just to find something to do we stopped by and I ordered a simple platter, first item on the top, with beef. i took one bite and i felt as if i was in heaven. absolutely delicious and i forgot about my allergies with caffeine. Next time I head back to this place, i hope inflation doesn't change the pricing because i'm ordering the same thing. Oh and the staff was very patient with me while i chose what to have in my platter.

The service was great from the moment we walked in. Someone quickly came over to ask what we'd like…read moreto drink, which made us feel welcomed right away. It was an open buffet, and the staff checked on us a few times throughout our visit, making sure everything was okay and that we had what we needed. The ambiance was really nice, and I honestly loved the vibe of the place. There was a belly dancer, and she was really nice and added a fun, lively touch to the overall experience. The food was good overall. It wasn't too bad at all, and I enjoyed what I tried, though I do wish there had been a bit more variety to choose from. Even so, everything was still tasty and satisfying. Dessert was also good and a nice way to end the meal. Overall, it was a pleasant experience with good service, a nice atmosphere, and enjoyable food, and I would definitely consider going back.

We wanted to come here for the buffet, but upon arriving, we were told that it was closed (we got…read morethere in the mid-afternoon)... even though we checked open times beforehand online. The take-out counter was open, so we opted for that instead. Most of the foods on display were ready-to-go and vegetarian / vegan. You can also order manakeesh (Lebanese flatbread topped with toppings such as cheese, spinach, and za'atar - akin to thin-crust pizza) to be made on site. We opted for the vegetarian mix-and-match plates, which came with either rice or salad, 5 small sides, and 3 falafels. Most of the items were pretty good, my favourites being the arnabeet (cauliflower), eggplant with chickpeas and tomato-based sauce, bamya (okra), and white cannellini beans salad. The warak enab (also called dolma or stuffed grape vine leaves) was flavourless and had too much ratio-to-grape vine leaves ratio (more rice inside that I'd like). The tabbouleh was way too salty. The other dishes were good though. Although the manakeesh was made fresh to order, it came out pretty fast. It was also extremely salty. There were a few small tables by the take-out counter, for those who wish to eat the take-out items on the spot. They packaged all the items very well to avoid leakage.

From the kind and efficient service, to the lively ambiance, to the delicious dishes served, Mandi…read moreAfandi is the all in one package. I tried their Chicken Mandi and Mansaf, both of which were packed with flavour! We were also there during Ramadan, and they kindly offered dates, samosas, and water to break our fast. Will definitely come here again!

Dropped by for lunch on a weekend. The lentil soup was excellent and tasted really good. The…read morechicken was good and the lam was ok. The eggplant with the pita was really good as well. It was like a takeout restaurant but you select your seat and they bring the food to you. They also have takeout containers and bags for you to take home your lefties the platter portions are large.

The BEST mandi in the city. The JUICIEST meat you'll eat…read more I've never actually been to the restaurant itself to enjoy a meal (I went once and it was closed) BUT, this is the place we are ALWAYS catering from for any family events or special occasions. The owner is super friendly. The food is 100% fresh, hot, tasty. The meat specifically is cooked to perfection and so juicy. Recently, we also ordered their chicken and that was a hit, but for me personally I would prefer to always go with the lamb mandi as it's the best one I've had.

What is it with "Yemeni" Mandi and bland rice? Every Mandi…read morerestaurant I have been to who labels their Mandi "Yemeni" has had tasteless rice. Lamb Mandi: The Lamb was cooked very well with Bone Marrow still intact and Meat very juicy and tender, however, the rice was just normal rice *not* cooked with the meat so it had no essence of it. Chicken Mandi: This was tasteless throughout, chicken was tender and juicy, however was pretty tasteless and the rice was the same as Lamb rice. Service: Two cute little girls take your order, Parents are in the back making food for you. Doesn't get any more "family" than this. So thats a big plus. Again, if I am looking for good flavourful Mandi, i would probably walk down the road to Al mandi.

I really needed to update my review. While I still think the restaurant can be chaotic and…read moreconfusing for non-Arabic speakers, the low prices are undeniable. $1 cups of delicious bone broth? A huge plate of chicken over rice for $7? Huge pieces of bread for a $1? Free tea? With everything so expensive now, it's a pleasure to get a huge, delicious, and halal meal for so little. Al Mandi is going to be nuts during Ramadan, but like everything in Buffalo, the craziness is also endearing :)

100% Zabihah Hand-Slaughtered Halal. Enough said…read more It seems like AlMandi is a mixed bag when it comes to customer service, but one cannot deny the stellar, delicious food that they sell. While the restaurant gets hectic sometimes during peak hours, off peak the atmosphere is surprisingly relaxing. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. As for the food, it is phenomenal. The soup is tangy and refreshing, the lamb succulent and a must buy, the curries well-balanced, and the chicken over rice with chutney divine. I'd highly recomnend the new Mandi. Do yourself a favor and check out this place.

Went for their iftar dinner. The restaurant was kind of empty and the staff were very friendly. The…read moremeal was extremely filling. We asked for dessert after. They didn't have one of the kunafas and the one we got had very little syrup/honey and was mostly cheese. I wouldn't go back again.

Meh. I just don't get the hype about this place. Lacklustre service, mediocre middle eastern food…read more Some many great places that are waaaay better. Go anywhere along lawrende avenue in Scarborough or the Danforth. Food was fine I guess but limited veggie options.

Thank you Reyan Restaurant!!!! You are awesome!!! In my last update, I complained about a few…read moredisappointing experiences with the shawarma wrap, but I gave them a couple more tries in the last few months, and I am pleased to say: they were delicious and without eewwy bits. (I only found one small piece of fat, which I'm letting go as an oversight). Keep it up Reyan!!!! When I eat the lamb here, I always wonder why I am one of the lucky Canadians who knows about this place. One of my latest tries, which I highly recommend, is the Whole Chicken Roast with Potatoes. Yummy!!! The chicken is so tender, it falls off the bone, and it's very flavourful. However, it needs longer to cook, so call an hour ahead whether you want take-out or dine-in.

I wanted to like this place. I really really wanted to rave about it because of all the great…read morereviews I read. However, that is sadly not the case. I ordered the lamb freekah, despite the high price of $23 (yes, they have increased the price of all their menu items). The portion size, while not small, is not worth the high price. I was excited to see large chunks of lamb in my dish, but was soon disappointed to find that half of it (no exaggeration) was either fat or bone. Thankfully, the meat was very tender, but that's about the only good thing about the dish. The freekah was okay. Definitely not as flavourful as other dishes I've had, and the small sprigs of parsley did nothing to elevate the flavour. Overall, a huge disappointment and a loss of $23 ($25 after tax). I really don't understand how a restaurant can charge that much and yet serve meat that is half fat and bone.