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!