Once again the food was amazing. This was my first time trying the lamb. I always/ofter have the…read morechicken platter. This was my first time trying the spicy pepper dip. It had a nice kick to it! Size, taste and freshness is what we find at the olive branch. I really want to mention the little attention that Andreas gives his customer really makes you feel at home. I have talked with him on a few occasions. We are regulars... haha. I really liked my lamb but chicken is still my Personal favourite.

Very good food with generous portions. Good service. Don't recommend the beer. Have had take out…read moreand dined in. Recommend both.

We had come here as we were staying in the area from out-of-town, and wanted to try the food, as we…read morehad read excellent reviews. We were happy that we did decide to give this place a try, as it was everything that we had expected, and more! When we walked-in, we were greeted by a young man, that asked if we wanted take-out or dine-in. We chose dine-in however, the restaurant was quite busy at the time so, we had to be seated at a table near the front entrance. Upon sitting, we noticed the iPad that was on the table for ordering. We were also given paper menus to look at, which was easier. Once we had placed our orders, we waited only about ten minutes for our salads to arrive, along with the hummus and pita bread. The salads were absolutely amazing; the bowls were filled to the brim with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, and feta cheese. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasty, and that dressing, WOW; it was delicious! It tied the salad in so well, it was the best salad we had ever tried at a Greek restaurant. The hummus was also delicious, with heated-up pita bread creating the finishing touches. This hummus was definitely homemade, and marvellous! We even asked for an additional pita, as the one we had wasn't enough for the four of us. This appetizer was definitely a great start! Once our main meals arrived, we were pleasantly surprised at how large the portions were. And the homemade sauce on top of the rice was wonderful; I don't know how they made the sauce, but it was perfect with the rice. The chicken was tender, with the tzatziki sauce not being needed often due to the tenderness. The potatoes were huge, and deliciously spiced. The meal was massive, and we couldn't finish it all; definitely worth what we had paid for! Throughout the entire meal, the server checked on us, bringing us water when we had asked, and making sure we were well taken care of. As we were leaving, the owner/chef asked where we were visiting from, and if we enjoyed the food. This place was hands-down the best Greek restaurant that we've ever been to; down to earth family-owned, amazing food, and great hospitality. Will definitely be back, and would recommend that you all try it as well; you won't be disappointed!

I was looking for a good Mediterranean food restaurant outside downtown to avoid the traffic and…read moreexpensive parking... This restaurant did it. It's located in a small strip and sometimes it takes time to find parking but not bad at all. The food is really good and fresh... You can feel the flavor of the marination and cook in the grill. The plate that I would go back for?.... The pork souvlaki and the excelent garlicky hummus. The service is super friendly and the chef will always ask if everything was as a good as we expected. The atmosphere is simple but practical and confortable. I've been here 3 times and I think I will go back everytime I come back to Ottawa.

Came to Shawarma Palace after shawarma came highly recommended by a friend and generally this meal…read moredid not disappoint! The portion sizes are RIDICULOUS. For us modest appetites, this is easily 3 meals - easily! We ordered 2 plates and a sandwich for 4 people and still had enough leftovers for a small breakfast the morning after. My personal favorite was the mixed shawarma plate. I love how it comes with pita made specifically for Shawarma Palace, rice, potatoes, salad, pickled veg, and the meat. We also got the mixed kabob plate which featured tender beef but the chicken kabob was just a hair bit dry. The falafel sandwich was actually very dry and I would not recommend this. We also picked up some baklava for dessert after and I liked how it was just sweet enough! You can taste the pistachios and I thought the kiss of rose water was just enough to make the bite memorable!

Happened upon this restaurant one evening. I saw a shawarma place on the north side of the street,…read moreso I prepared to turn off and go back, but here was another shawarma place. Quickly looked at Yelp and saw a fantastic number of reviews. So this place looked to be the real thing. I stepped up to the counter and ordered the beef shawarma platter to eat in. The guys just kept piling more and more on the platter. It was absolutely ridiculously huge by the time they were done. It was stacked with beef on top. As I paid, I asked for a take-out container. There was no hesitation. So obviously, this is the way they do it. I sat in the super clean dining area and started in on this massive dish. Then I saw a young family carry their plates to a table adjacent to me. And they all had these massive plates too. So after stuffing myself and hardly putting a dent in this pile of food I had to load up the take out clamshell. It would hardly close and weighed 2-3lbs (after filling myself). So if you want to buy one dish and eat a tasty healthy meal for a week. This is your place. It seemed very clean in the restaurant (signs say leave your dishes on the table - so they are obviously bussing the tables regularly). The washroom was also exceptionally clean. The staff that built my meat mountain were super friendly. I would certainly recommend this place!

We found this place while wandering the area in Ottawa, and had a great dinner! I had the…read morecombination dinner which included stuffed grape leaves, kibbeh, spinach pies, hummus and salad. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The kibbeh was seasoned beautifully as were the spinach pies. Even the salad was really good. The pita was fresh and perfect as well. I had the rose water iced tea to drink which was quite good and the rose water was not overpowering. One person was serving and cooking. I am assuming this was Omar the owner. I have no idea how he was managing all of that! He also did the art around the restaurant which was beautiful. Definitely a great option in this part of Ottawa!

Food and service are wonderful in a beautiful restaurant! You won't be disappointed if you love…read moreLebanese Cuisine. If you're visiting Ottawa, this is a must dine! Thank you Mr. Omar!

Five Stars -- The Best Philly Cheesesteak I've Ever Had…read more I just had the best Philly cheesesteak of my life. I don't say that lightly. From the first bite to the last, it was absolute perfection. The steak was unbelievably tender, sliced thin and piled high, cooked just right so every bite was juicy and full of flavour. The cheese? Melted perfectly into every bite, rich and smooth. And the bun... warm, soft, with just the right hint of crispness. It held everything together like a proper cheesesteak should. And here's the part that shocked me: it was better than any cheesesteak I've ever had in Philadelphia -- and I've had plenty. This one sets a whole new benchmark. Every ingredient tasted fresh, every flavour balanced. No shortcuts. No filler. Just pure, delicious craftsmanship. It's the kind of sandwich that makes you stop mid-bite and appreciate what's happening. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed something this much. If you think you've had a great Philly cheesesteak before, think again -- this one is on another level. I'll be back. Now let's talk about the Onion Rings I got as a side! Simply perfection. Nice and crispy in a very tasty batter. Best in Ottawa, by far! I will definitely be back!

My husband and I came here recently for an early dinner…read more We each had the 2 piece broast chicken combo ($7). Each combo includes fries, coleslaw, garlic sauce and a can of pop (although we never got any garlic sauce, but they gave us 9 packets of ketchup (yipee!), since I love ketchup and garlic sauce is usually fattening anyway, I was happy with just the ketchup). The wait is long because they make everything to order. It was about a 20-25 minute wait. The chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside with a nice hint of flavour. I feel that the chicken is slightly better here than at Zaki's Broast. Broasted chicken is supposed to be less greasy and oily than fried chicken, but I still found it oily. The best broasted chicken I've ever had was at La Hoyo in Halifax which is now closed :( I'm still looking for chicken like that... The fries here are much better than at Zaki's in my opinion. The fries at Laziz are hand cut and lightly seasoned. The coleslaw here is also amazing. It's the creamy type which I usually don't like but I liked Laziz's coleslaw. The dressing is slightly sweet and they use purple and green cabbage, so it looks really colourful. There's a nice crunch to the coleslaw too. The older man who works here is very nice, but the younger guy was really indifferent towards us. The place is clean enough, as are the washrooms. There's sufficient seating and lots of free parking. It's in the same strip mall as the Mark's, Sushi Kan, and Eclipse Asian Cuisine.

The Grilled Tomato is a little restaurant tucked away in an industrial park. Y'all know I love…read morehidden industrial park finds, lol. And this one did not disappoint. I grabbed some takeout for lunch. I was going to get the Chicken Souvlaki Platter off their regular menu, but when I saw their Specials board in-store I decided on the Chicken Shawarma Platter (it was a dollar less at $14, and let's be honest, chicken on a skewer or sliced up chicken, I like them both, so why not be economical, haha). The platter came with lots of sliced chicken. It tasted like they fried it up after slicing it. I was ok with that. The chicken was a bit on the salty side, in my opinion, but I still enjoyed it. I liked that there were no gristly or fatty bits. The platter also had rice, potatoes and a Greek salad. The rice was a bit on the oily side, but it was soft, fluffy and flavourful. It had pieces of peas and carrots in it. I got 2 potato pieces. They were nicely roasted and tasted good. Not mealy. The Greek salad had cucumbers, bell peppers of multiple colours, tomatoes, onions, olives and feta cheese. The dressing was a bit oily, but I still liked it. It came with a tzatziki sauce and a garlic sauce. The tzatziki was a bit on the runnier side. I would have liked it a bit thicker. The garlic sauce had a mayo-like texture. It was ok, but I like the garlic sauce with a more whipped texture. Overall though, it was a solid and tasty meal for a pretty decent price (given prices these days). Service was welcoming and courteous. There are some seats and tables to eat inside, which is rare for restaurants in industrial parks in Ottawa, which are mostly exclusively takeout. Lots of free parking available in front of the restaurant (which is also rare for restaurants in industrial parks). I'm looking forward to trying their Chicken Souvlaki and Donair, and also any other specials they might have ;)

From the owner: Authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Freshly cooked using fresh ingredients. read more

Mati is a great spot for dinner or lunch. Everything on that menu is delish. I highly recommend…read moregoing there if you're just looking for casual drinks or a nice dinner date. Great service all around and it never disappoints.

Delicious food, beautiful interior & lovely customer service! We ordered the calamari, seafood…read morepasta & chocolate torte. It was nice of them to exclude clams for the seafood pasta upon request. Calamari was delicious, seafood pasta was creamy and delicious, chocolate torte was delicious I love how cherry reduction cut out richness as it was very rich!

We came here during a girls' bachelorette weekend that happened to fall on Valentine's Day, and it…read morecould not have been a better choice! The restaurant has such a cozy, welcoming vibe -- perfect for celebrating something special without feeling overly formal. The service was amazing and incredibly speedy, even on such a busy night. The staff made us feel so taken care of from the moment we walked in, and the welcome shot they offered was such a thoughtful, fun touch that really set the tone for the evening. We loved the fixed menu options -- it made ordering easy for a group, and everyone genuinely enjoyed their dishes. The presentation was beautiful across the board. The seafood boil was a standout and an absolute must-order. The grilled halloumi was perfectly charred and seasoned -- hands down one of the best I've had. And the souvlaki options were such a fun experience, served on little fire stands that made the table feel extra festive. If you're looking for a spot that delivers on atmosphere, flavor, and great service -- especially for a celebration -- I'd highly recommend this place!

Dinner here was a treat.. let me begin on how cute and cozy this restaurant is, nothing fancy but…read morelooks nice and welcoming. Our server was very poolside and helpful. To begin with, she agreed very happily to move our table to another spot. Then she helped us navigate through the menu! We started with virgin mojitos, they were ok , a little bitter. For appetizers we had the Fatoush and the kataifi shrimp both were very flavourful . I absolutely loved the lemon dip that came with the shrimp! We got their grill for mains, we mixed things up with chicken, meat and kafta.. kafta was our least favourite a little chewy but the 2 others very juicy and tender, presentation was fun! For dessert we tried their crème brûlée which was a nice ending ! It was our first visit and now looking forward for the next one!

We absolute love this place! We've been here so many time already that some of the staff members…read moreremember us haha. They're such friendly people. I'm a huge fan of meat pies! My husband generally gets a shawarma sandwich. I've tried both here and they're both really good. My daughter really likes the meat pies and the spinach and cheese pies as well. I highly recommend this place!

100 % a wonderful place to eat pizza there , fast food and friendly restaurants, in and out quicklyread more

Excellent pizza. Highly recommend ordering from them, trumps any place that Embrun has to offer…read more Forty Creek pizza is A+