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'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!

We got take out from Istanbul Kebab and Donair and we loved it. I love middle eastern food but I…read morewanted to try something a little different. The lahmajun had fresh ingredients including meat, garlic and spices. It was simple but very tasty. The side salad was fresh and complimented everything well. The star of the show was the beyti kebab. It has a combination of minced lamb and beef rolled in flatbread with a red sauce on top. You can dip this in a side yogurt dip as well. There wasn't a lot of sauce but it was very flavorful. We really loved this dish and would love to go to the restaurant in person at some point to try out more dishes.

Amazing food, delightfully and expertly seasoned. I've never eaten-in but have had take-out several…read moretimes. The servings are substantial. We've had lamb kabob, lamb chops, chicken thighs, all with rice, salad, bread, and hummus; savory, tender, crisp, soft and creamy are just a few of the tastes and textures. The Shepherd's salad is crunchy, herbaceous and tangy, it compliments all the other dishes

I met a couple colleagues here for lunch and had a really good experience. The restaurant is…read moretucked away just off Calgary Trail and has a decent amount of parking. The ambiance and atmosphere are very warm and inviting and I can say the same about the service. Our server was helpful, friendly and informative. I ordered the beef souvlaki lunch plate which came with rice and salad as well as a choice of garlic sauce, tzatziki, or tahini. We were also offered some homemade hot sauce as well. The food tasted really good and my colleagues enjoyed theirs as well. I'd like to visit again to try more of their menu. They have plenty of dishes that would be good for sharing as well.

It is fun to see an Egyptian restaurant pop up in Edmonton. We thought it would be good to give it…read morea try. It is really cute inside full of trinkets from Egypt that make you feel like you are in a baazar. The owner is super friendly and helpful. Really loved the customer service. We decided on a few dishes to try. We decided on the Chef's Platter that serves 2-3 although unless you have an appetite of a lumberjack, it will feed more. It comes with - Salad, Hawawshi (flatbread filled with meat), kushari (Egypt's national dish consisting of lentils and macaroni), baba Ganooj, Musakka as well as a bunch of skewers. Chicken, beef, kabab skewers, lamb shank and rice. We also ordered Egyptian tea which was delightful. Food took a while to come out. However it was all good except the lamb shank was on the dry side which was disappointing. I really enjoyed the salad and the baba ganooj. My husband enjoyed the meat dishes. However we both loved the Hawawshi. Give it a try!

Best Kebab really does live up to its name, but my favorite was the mixed shawarma. Everything from…read morethe hummus to the shawarma, fries and salad were delicious. The Turkish coffee is traditional and perfectly brewed. The staff was really great and we got complimentary tea at the end. Definitely one of the best Turkish spots we've ever tried.

Was really surprised when the food came and their portions were super generous. You have to come…read morehere and try to understand. I was not disappointed. Their food was also delicious on top of that. Their service was pretty good and even though we came during Fathers Day and it was super busy, their service was not affected.

We met a friend for supper at this restuarant, and because it was on the weekend we decided on the…read moreMoroccan Experience which included 1 Tangina (a traditional Moroccan dish which was slow cooked lamb, cooked with spices), 1 lamb tagine with with prunes, 1 Moroccan couscous, and one chicken tagine with olives, and harira soup. The food was massive and tasty. The tangina was the standout..but everything was good. The soup was also amazing. My only complaint is the Moroccan couscous had no real meat in it. It was 3/4 cous cous and really nothing else. I would not order this again. It is pretty inside and rather large. They have a seperate room for special parties etc. Service was good. The owners gave us complementary tea and baklava which was tasty and appreciated. The tea was lovely. I woul like to come again on the weekend and try other things on the weekend menu.

Food was great! The dishes were interesting and the lamb was delicious. At the end they brought us…read moresome tea in the sweetest little cups, and something sweet. What a wonderful gesture! The tea was so good I thought about ordering more. Thank you for your great food and service.

We stopped in today and had a really wonderful experience. From the moment we arrived, the owners…read morewere incredibly warm and hospitable. They made us feel genuinely welcome and even offered us a complimentary tea, which was such a thoughtful touch. The food was excellent. We ordered a Persian meal with grilled kebab, rice, fresh salad, and roasted vegetables. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully prepared. The rice was perfectly cooked, the meat was tender and well-seasoned, and the sides complemented the dish really well. The atmosphere was calm and comfortable, making it a great place to sit down and enjoy a proper meal. You can really tell the owners care about their guests and take pride in what they serve. Overall, it was a fantastic experience -- great food, kind service, clean and a welcoming environment. We'll definitely be coming back.

This place is run by great people they're so friendly and the service was unreal. It's nice and…read moreclean, there's cool old world art hanging.... but the food. Amazing. Nice big portions, good sized kebabs and lots of rice etc. They also serve free tea, pita and 6-7 kinds of yogurt dip for your meal. It's chill so no need to get dressed up. But I'd recommend it 10/10 times

I personally like the other location in Windermere better but this one is a great location too. The…read moreplace is bigger. Customer service is great as usual and they have a lot more traffic! The food was delicious and I like the interior design. Definitely a good place to go when you crave shawarma! ;)

Wonderful experience from the moment we walked in. Fresh food, dips, salads are all displayed, and…read moreeveryone is efficiently moving to prepare everything quickly. Portions were very large, we ended up sharing two plates between the three of us. Chicken thigh plate and Chicken kafta plate was amazing. There was also a layered lotus biscoff cookie trifle that was out of this world. They come to your table and pour a complementary deliciously sweetened black tea to go with everything as well! We loved how they did a high pour when serving the black tea. We also had a chicken wrap plate with fries. Everything came with salad, hummus, garlic sauce, and rice.