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!

PitaBake is a Lebanese restaurant which serves a variety of Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine, as…read morewell as some unique international fusion dishes. There is something to satisfy any palette. We ordered from skip the dishes, and everything was neatly and carefully packaged for safe transport. My husband got a shawarma plate with fries, rice, salad and pita. I ordered a chicken donair pita bake, which was a perfect portion size and really reasonable price. I find that shawarma plates are huuuuuuge and I just wasn't wanting that much food. This was perfect, and under $15. Everything was fresh tasting and yummy. I'd definitely order from here again.

Such good amazing food. Fresh, hot, ready to eat. High quality kind welcoming service and the vibe…read moreis lively, positive and just all around happy smiley satisfied customers. Highly recommend pita bike! You would love it (:

Only go to this place if you like flavor. If you want bland, go to Subway or DQ next door.read more

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!!

Lamb shank was great, very flavourful and tender. It's served on the side of a very seasoned and…read morecolourful rice. The chicken kebab platter was a bit plain as the rice had very little flavor. Red tea was nice and hot and the service was good. We also had the deep-fried eggplant and a phyllo pastry filled with spinach and feta (similar to spanakopita) as appetizers. Both were delicious. I would recommend this place but the rice that had the seasoning was much more flavourful than the plain rice so I would keep that in mind.

The best Persian food you can find in Edmonton! The quality…read moreand value are both great. The food is delicious and comparable with best restaurants in Iran and to be honest, I haven't had Persian food in North America with this quality and taste. The customer service is always the best and the staff are friendly and helpful. The place is beautiful and big and great for gathering. This is one of my favourite restaurants in YEG and I highly recommend it

Kabsa is easily the best kabab-house in Edmonton! I have been to many of them in YEG, and have…read morefound not only do they serve easily the most flavourful food, but they also include extremely generous proportions. My fiancé and I typically share one order of chicken kabab as there is plenty of food for us. Their rice really stands out, which is so crucial when it is the base of this genre of cuisine. It has so much zest! The meals include delicious humus, and kebab-shop sauce (white garlic sauce). Further they have an unreal delicious salad included, which is particularly appreciated considering most shops put little to no effort into an included salad due to it not being the main dish. The attention to detail from the team at Kabsa is fabulous. Could not be happier having found my new summer-time staple!

It was youngest's birthday and she loves French fries. So on her birthday we try to take her to a…read morenonconventional place for this especially because the rest of the family would like to eat something other than French fries (go figure). This place is tucked away in a strip mall in the north end. Pretty basic on the inside, but clean. It is a little confusing though, because they hand you the menus, and then they don't say that you needed to go up to order. We figured this out, but another couple left and I think it was I think that they thought they were not being served. Thorough menu but no real vegatarian options (just salad and hummus). I was surprised that there wasn't a falafel dish. Anyway, Hubby decided on the Iraqi kabobs, kiddo 1 went with a chicken shamarma wrap, and I chose the grilled fish. Birthday girl got the fries. Food came out a bit on the slow side, but it was really busy in there. Food was flavourful. My husband and I got a complimentary soup which was rich in taste. My fish was perfectly grilled, and it came with a boatload of seasoned rice. Hubby's kababs were spicy and delicious and came with the same rice as I but also a side salad and hummus and pita. I sampled the hummus and it was delicous. Nice and creamy. Both kids were excited about their dishes. Perhaps a little on the high side for price considering the ambiance, but food was good. I would come here again.

I'd been looking forward to seeing what Hanan's Kitchen was all about when I first saw the "coming…read moresoon" signage start popping up. I finally got my chance to visit yesterday and it was a great experience. The space itself is small but cozy. If it wasn't such a beautiful day, I'd be happy to dine in. They have a menu with lots of tasty looking items, including a good variety of vegetarian options. I decided to try the falafel wrap. While I was waiting for my meal, I was offered an ice cream sample which was such a great treat for a hot day. They open early for coffee/breakfast service so I'm looking forward to coming back on my way to work later this week. The wrap was ready very quickly and it was some of the best falafel I've ever had. Combined with the fresh veggies and creamy sauce, it was a 10/10.

We used Hanan's Kitchen for a Catering event and the food was fantastic!…read more The Falafel deserves special recognition. Thank-you for being prompt and reliable with delivery for our event. We would highly recommend using this establishment for your catering needs. Very Delicious.

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 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