We went for lunch with some coworkers! I loved the coffee…read morethat was served as soon as we entered the place! The staff seemed to be friendly! Parking options were very limited around noon! Also when we went inside it seemed a bit chaotic! There were five of us, one order was wrong and the another order came at the very end when the other four dishes were already finished! The food was good and delicious! I would like to imagine it was an off day and would like to go back there again! The quality and value of the food was definitely good!

Finally was able to try Root of Beirut. Tried to eat here last year but they were randomly closed…read morefor an event. It's in a random neighbourhood area. We dropped in on a busy Saturday (12:30pm) for lunch. The inside is huge. Servers are friendly and but no water is served. Menu consists of platters, pita pies, salads, wraps, Mediterranean platters, fatayer and pizza. - Baba ghanouj ($8.00) - came with a platter of fresh, pillowy soft pitas. The baba ghanouj was creamy. Generous portion. - Tabouli ($7.00) - good portion but standard fare. - Zaatar pita pie ($2.00) - my favourite thing we ordered. Always a must when it's on the menu. - Beef shawarma ($8.00) - didn't try but our friends enjoyed it. - Trio platter ($20.00) - beef was the best of the bunch. The garlic sauce was great. Rice was a touch bland. Fattoush was okay. - Lamb mansaf ($20.00) - lamb shank was tender but plain. - Fatayer ($10.00 for 12) - you get to pick 3 flavours. We went with meat (my favourite), akawi (white brined cheese) and kishik (bulgur with milk/yoghurt). Good portions at RoB but very carb heavy.

I visited Al Salam for lunch some time ago. The restaurant had a laid back atmosphere and service…read more In terms of food, I tried the Chicken Shawarma Plate. The combination of chicken, rice, pita, dipping sauce, lettuce, etc. was nice. However, the chicken was a bit dry and the ratio of the food could be better, so I'd give them 7.8/10

This little bakery and restaurant has been around for a long time and I've just had a chance to try…read moreit out. The food was awesome. I don't think I've had such good hummus, well ever. And the falafel pita was so flavourful. Even the simple salad was made delicious with the lemon and pita chips. They also have an attached store so if you are for trying to make something at home you can pick up the ingredients right here. But why bother? Just come for a bite!

We went here for a quick bite before going to a seminar. It is beautiful inside. I love all of the…read moreIslamic style lanterns inside. Menu has so many different options but it doesn't fall far from grilled meat, rice, fresh salad, fries and warm puffy pita bread with hummus and tzatziki. Food was excellent. My husband went with the Sultan Kafta Plate Five patties served white rice, hummus, garlic, salad, fries, and one pita bread. While I went with the Beef Lamb Shawarma Plate Served with white rice, hummus, garlic, salad, fries, and one pita bread. I always get a tea here, because it is lovely and strong. Food came in a fast manner, and everything was fresh. My husband wasn't too thrilled with the spice profile of the Sultan Kafta plate, and probably won't get it again. He will probably stick with something with stronger notes like the Adana Kabab (my favourite). I enjoyed mine and the meat was plentiful. We are always too full to try dessert, but they look good in the display case. Service was friendly and prompt.

We recently ordered 2 chicken shawarma lunch meals and got extra beef. When I received the bag, it…read morewas heavy so I knew there would be large portions. When I opened the box, there was a good portion of fries, salad, hummus, chicken, and rice. I dipped the pita into the hummus and it was smooth and delicious! The salad was fresh and flavourful. Both the hummus and salad would have me coming back. I had a few bites of the chicken and rice before I was too full to continue. I liked the chicken more than the beef, but it was good to try both. I can't wait to order again!

staff: friendly and hard working…read more service: quick and friendly. Considering we were a large group for a work function - they were fast and efficient. establishment: beautiful decor, big banquet room, nice clean and bright space. Great parking options outside. food: amazing! Great flavour! Generous portions. We had a set menu for a work function. It was all amazing. They do not serve alcohol.

A great place to spend time, events large and small. Today we celebrated a Christmas event. The…read moreatmosphere of comfort and tranquility!!! Clean, beautiful, quiet music!!! The food is delicious, the service is excellent!!! We'll be back! thanks to the owner and his team!!!

I was looking for a place for lunch and drove past Maghawee Lebanese Grill and turned around…read more Lebanese fast food was something I hadn't tried before. Maghawee Lebanese Grill specializes in Lebanese cuisine. The focus of their menu is kabobs and pitas and everything is cooked while you wait. No warmed up or steam tray food here. When you walk in you're greeted by fabulous Lebanese scents which make your appetite that much stronger. I ordered the chicken kabob meal from their lunch menu and a pop. The price was a bit high for lunch, but I wanted it. As I waited in my banquette I listened to Lebanese music coming from the music videos on the wall mounted TV's. The server brought my lunch to me and then I realized why it was the price it was. Warm steamed pits, garlic dip, grilled chicken kabob, humus, tabbouleh, Lebanese veggies and cinnamon rice was what was for lunch. Yum! I was half way through my meal when the server came to check on me - good service, not too pushy and not not interested. Many people came and went during the course of my lunch for dine in and take out, which in my books is a good sign. After I finished my meal I was intercepted on my way to the washroom by the owner baring baklava for me. My gosh, this was the best baklava I've had - not too sweet or dripping with honey. He told me they have been in business since December and was glad that I enjoyed my lunch. That small gesture and general inquiry about my experience will make me come back. The only thing I suggest is they have breath mints at the till because you'll leave with garlic breath, and that is a good thing.

I'll keep this one short and sweet. We went here as our beloved Co Do Hue was closed (stupid…read moreTuesdays!). Located right beside Pho Du, we went for lunch to try Mashawee with three of my co-workers. Be warned now: a) Service is SLOW (took around 20-25 minutes to cook my lamb kebob pita sandwich) b) Prices are expensive for the amount of food you get (although in hindsight, should have ordered their lunch specials which are $10) c) They were OUT of chicken schwarma and falafel at noon! WHAT?!? How can you be out of your two main staple food items before the lunch rush... d) Pretty salty We each got a pita sandwich (lamb kebob, beef schwarma and two chicken kebob pita's). Lamb one is $9 with the others $7-$9 each. My one buddy and I left still hungry afterwards, never a good sign. Won't be back! Also, I should probably mention - 99% sure we got food poisoning from them. I had the chills last night...same thing with my one friend. Awesome stuff. Wow.

I used to come here when it had a different name. They sure kept the same quality and included more…read moreitems. Prices are decent for the quantity. They are open Thursday to Sat until 3AM. Provided quick service. Location is great, being on Jasper and across a bar.

La Shish is great comfort food for me. I always come here when I need something filling and yummy…read more The shawarma plate is always my go to and always hits the spot!

We were here with friends and once again we chose the Sultans platter, which is the best bang for…read moreyour buck in my opionin here. You get to try a lot of different things with a great variety of options. It was warm and inviting inside. It has Turkish influence but not particulary stand out in nature. Nice enough though. Food came out in a timely manner. We started with the grape stuffed leaves which were delightful and came with a lovely cheese to spread on them. Also pita bread with hummus and red pepper spread. Both were excellent and creamy and the bread is amazing. It is made to order with the wood fire oven. Absolutely lovely. Then we had assorted meat which included meat balls, lamb chops, swordfish and chicken. All were cooked well and tasty, although besides the meatballs, the marinate seemed the same. It would be nice to get other flavours. A bulgur pilaf which was delicous and perfectly cooked and tomato-ey and a lovely dressed green salad came to accent the meat. For dessert a less sweet baklava which is perfect in my opinion and a good ending to the dinner.

I stopped by Sofra in Edmonton recently and tried their Sultan's Sofrasi for two. The pita bread…read morewas the biggest highlight. Both the dessert and the meat were quite good--the dessert for its crispiness and flavour, and the meat for the portion size and how well it was cooked. That said, the meat still tasted different compared to similar dishes I've had in Europe. The hummus was a bit too sour and not as thick as I prefer. Overall, I'd give it 8/10.

The best chicken shawarma I have eaten in North America. Excellent sumptuous Lebanese style…read moreshawarma. As a person who grew up in Dubai, the shawarma tasted exactly like back home. Service was fast and good. Ambiance was typical mall food court. Everything is Halal! Any shawarma fans out there should definitely visit the West Edmonton Mall for a day out full of activities and have their meals here. Trust me you won't regret it. Ask for extra garlic sauce for ooomph factor - it was delicious!!

Stopped here when visiting the West Edmonton Mall. So many healthy and beautiful options at this…read moreplace and the price/service was excellent! I ordered a falafel plate which came with an amazing service size of food! 4 huge pieces of freshly made falafels on a bed of homemade hummus. I had the choice of 2 salads (I believe they had 4 to pick from). I picked their house salad which was bright and fresh and had tons of flavor. Then I picked their cabbage salad which had the sweetest crunch. Paired that with their tahini, hot sauce, and their home made garlic sauce and I was set! This portion was HUGE. The chef was so sweet and kept piling on the salads and asking me if I needed anything else! Prices were excellent and food was excellent! Definitely recommend this place!

I'm someone who will drive to any corner of the city (and beyond) in the name of food and this was…read moreevident when I recently found myself in The Palisades, an area that is just about as far north as you can get in Edmonton (and no where remotely close to where I live). If the Edmonton Journal is going to name Paramount Fine Foods as the Best Lebanese Restaurant 2021, I'm gonna try it! I made the trek across town on a Sunday evening, looking forward to the authentically fresh flavours of the Middle East that Paramount boasts about so enthusiastically. Founded in 2007 by Mohamad Fakih, a Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur, the first Paramount Fine Foods location opened in Mississauga, Ontario. The company now comprises of over 75 restaurants, becoming the fastest-growing Middle Eastern food chain in Canada. You'll find Edmonton's location in a rather large complex on the edge of town. (Not kidding, you can see the empty fields nearby.) The restaurant's modern exterior and tall stature includes a small patio space in the front before entering into the expansive interior. I was surprised by the spacious, airy dining area designed with taste in mind. Dark wood, tiled columns, and pops of rich colour set the stage for what feels like a higher-end dining experience. I noted some interesting features in the space which included a kids playground (I swear that this place isn't a defunct McDonald's) and a prayer room. Paramount was quite quiet on our visit and our server was gracious and attentive. The menu is a lot larger than I would have expected and I enjoyed flipping through its colourful pages; from starters, to salads, to wraps and mains. Plus platters that are perfect for large groups and even breakfast on the weekends! (I'm super intrigued about the breakfast and would love to try it!) As one does, I started my journey with a drink and zeroed in immediately on something called the "Paramount Special." It sounds like the thing to get! Topped with almonds, crushed pistachios, ashta cream and honey, I really wanted to try this epic beverage! However, our server regrettably informed me that they couldn't make it. It wasn't clear why but I assume that they didn't have all of the ingredients on hand? This was honestly the only low point of the entire meal. Instead, I settled for Strawberry Mango Juice (A blend of fresh mango and strawberries - $8.99). The drink actually took quite some time to arrive, meanwhile almost all of the rest of our food showed up before it did. However, it was worth the wait because this blend of fresh lush mangoes and ripe juicy strawberries was wonderful. You could tell that the beverage contained real fruit and I enjoyed the swirling kaleidoscope of bright colours. The rest of our order was delivered to the table lightening-quick! The feast began with the Mezza Plate (Choice of three: world-famous hummus, moutabbal, labneh, muhammara, or tabbouleh - $13.99) which seemed like a great option to try a variety of Paramount's dips. Served with the most pillowy freshly baked homemade pita bread, straight out of their wood-burning oven! I honestly could've set my head down on one of those pitas and had a nap. In choosing our dips we went for the Moutabbal, Muhammara, and Labneh. (We did not select the hummus because it was included in something else that we ordered and we opted out of the tabbouleh because we were already ordering a different salad.) Circling back to the pita bread, it arrived warm and fluffy. Tearing off pieces and using it to scoop up the various dips was a complete joy. The Moutabbal, made with fire roasted eggplant blended with tahini and garlic and topped off with fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh pomegranate seeds, felt familiar. Very similar to baba ganoush. However, ours was not topped with parsley or pomegranate seeds as described. Regardless, I loved the true fire-roasted flavour of the eggplant which came through in such a bold and beautiful way. Next was the Muhammara, made with fire roasted red peppers, crushed mixed walnuts, zesty onions, authentic spices, and herbs and topped off with extra virgin olive oil and parsley. (There was no parsley.) This was the dip that I knew the least about... And that I loved the most! The flavour was big and exciting and I loved the nuttiness! This one was an unexpected surprise and I would order it every time. Lastly, the Labneh, made with thick creamy labneh (a type of yogurt cheese) mixed with garlic, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and topped off with their authentic zaatar seasoning, was also familiar. (Shout out to The Happy Camel, who's labneh I often purchase!) The version at Paramount was very enjoyable and I loved the creamy-cool texture. I swear that I could taste some mint in there as well. Some of the best salads come out of the Middle East - think tabbouleh and fattoush - and I had to order the latter to add some greens to the table. Paramount's Fattoush ($12.99) seemed like the way to go. I lov

"Not so elevated Middle Eastern Cuisine"…read more A terrific visit last November was memorable enough to have us crave Paramount Fine Foods while in Edmonton this evening. The big sign has the slogan " Elevated Middle Eastern Cuisine " thus raising the expectations we have had,, stemming from dozens and dozens of previous Paramount visits In Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver over the years... The decor is still very nice, four+ years or so after this Edmonton branch's opening; - modern, fast yet casual with table service. Tonight, the service was at times very slow and curt. We started with the lentil soup ($7.99) which came in a lovely ceramic bowl with deep fried pita chips. The soup was not liquidy; it had a very thick, "pudding-like" consistency and was super salty. It was definitely not fresh and appeared like it could have been reheated after being withdrawn from a cold, refrigerated bucket; not good. Next came the beef pie - which was nothing but a thin layer of ground beef on way too much dough ($6.99). Paramount is famous for its tabuli salad and of course we ordered it! (($10.99). Once it arrived to our table, we were shocked at the look of wilted parsley and the lack of dressing (it needed more tomatoes, lemon juice and olive oil to revive it); total dissapointment. "Elevated cuisine" means that you would assemble the salad as it is ordered for maximum freshness; ours tasted like it was sitting in a refrigerated tub for several days; no! No! No! The main course, the bbq beef platter ($22.99) had seven tiny yet very tender sirloin steak cubes; the remainder of the plate had a lot of filler rice and pickled beets, dill, onions and a 2 oz container of humus; very good yes - but the portion of meat was tiny for the price. The star of the meal was definitely the shareable dessert: The knnaffe Nablusieh ($9.99): It is a subtly sweet baked cheese dessert topped with baklava style shredded filo strips and pistachios; and then, it is drenched in syrupy rose water; this lived up to what Paramount is known for in Ontario - simply delicious!!!!!! With the abundance of similar eateries in Edmonton, Paramount Fine Foods didn't live up to its slogan as, during tonight's visit, there was nothing " elevated " about its Middle Eastern cuisine. Hopefully, they will get it together moving forward - so the quality of the food served at this branch can actually live up to their founding Ontario roots. Here at this Edmonton Paramount, The higher menu prices do not match the overall very average experience offered... we know Paramount Fine Foods has the ability to "wow" us; maybe next time!