Last year, back during warmer days and patio weather, my friends and I stopped by Parallel for a relaxing weekday lunch. I enjoyed their hummus so much, I bought a jar of tahini home for Stephen to try. Service was friendly and accommodating for myself, a carnivore, and my friend, a vegetarian. Located on Geary Ave., Parallel has a large dining room, a take-out counter and a great patio. Geary Ave itself is a fascinating street mixed with local restaurants, artisans and auto shops. With Darkhorse and Famiglia Baldassarre down the street, Parallel is in good company.

We started with sharing the seasonal salad, which featured watermelon, feta, balsamic and arugula. Refreshing, fresh ingredients and a delicious combination of sweetness and acidity, creamy and crunchy. I also enjoyed the slices of red chili pepper that added a touch of heat. A great salad that I totally plan on replicating at home, or at least attempting to. For our main, we ordered the Lamb & Beef Ragu on Hummus. As we asked our server questions about how meaty the dish was, she let us know it would be easy to serve the lamb and beef ragu separately from the hummus, a perfect option for us. Dishes arrived with little wait (before I was even done taking photos of the salad) and our server checked in on us throughout our meal.

The hummus was so creamy and rich, enough of a meal all on its own with the soft pillowy pita (no charge refills!). We cleaned up that plate of hummus and tahini. I didn’t need the lamb and beef ragu, but it was a tasty addition. Not too gamey, savoury and well-spiced.

Overall, lunch at Parallel was relaxed and a treat. The hummus really is the best in the city and elevates a dish I usually think of as a snack to a full meal.

Driving north on the DVP my eyes are always drawn to the white Aga Khan Museum. Designed by award winning architect Fumihiko Maki and inspired by light, the museum was opened in 2014 and features historic and cultural artifacts from Muslim civilizations all over the world. In addition to the museum’s core collection, there are also several temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Stephen and I had the amazing opportunity to tour the museum after hours with a group of other bloggers after sampling some of the new menu items at Diwan, the restaurant at Aga Khan managed by The McEwan Group.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Our evening started with mocktails at Diwan, which was beautifully decorated with hand carved wall panels from Damascus. Tall wood pillars and a large square ceiling was incorporated into the structure of the restaurant itself. Weather permitting, there was also a huge outdoor patio with a view of the Aga Khan park. Diwan’s menu was inspired by Middle Eastern, North African and Indian cuisines. Some bites we tasted included Lamb Kofta meatballs with a corn, coconut curry and a Advieh Spiced Calamari. My favourite dish was the Masala Chicken Fries, which was strongly spiced and served with a delicious garlic aioli.

After the menu tasting, we were treated to a private tour of the current temporary exhibition “Syrian Symphony”, which featured work from a few of Syria’s leading artists and musicians examining the recent conflict in their home country. The exhibit flowed through the 4 movements of a symphony with visual, video and musical creations. I was blown away by how intimate each piece felt and how strong the message of hope shone through despite the turmoil and destruction. It was an incredibly moving and powerful exhibit. I felt that the “Syrian Symphony” was easily one of the best thought out and engrossing exhibitions I’ve ever visited at any museum in the world. Another part of the exhibit I loved was the interactive feature at the end where each visitor was encouraged to choose an placard with and icon that described how they felt and add their feeling to everyone else’s.

We also had the chance to walk through the core collection of the museum and spent a moment taking in the crisp evening air outside in the indoor courtyard. For me, another highlight of the evening was walking through the tranquil Aga Khan park and taking in the view of the fully lit Ismaili Centre Toronto. This summer, the Aga Khan Park will be hosting a variety of events from movie screenings to musical performances. Check out their website for a full list of family friendly activities.

Diwan will be participating in this year’s summerlicious with a $28 lunch menu. Reservations have been quickly filling up already and the restaurant is often booked full for the entire event.

Of all the monuments and tourist attractions in Paris, my favourite is The Notre-Dame de Paris, specifically climbing the tall towers to get up and close with the gargoyles and take in their view. If you’re researching the cathedral, note that access to the Towers is managed by a separate organization than the cathedral itself.

• Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral – Daily from 7:45am to 6:45pm, Free to access
• Towers of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral – Varies, generally from 10:00am to 5:30pm, 10 Euros

The Towers are not open everyday, so I would highly recommend checking the website ahead of time and not all levels are accessible everyday. The total climb up is 422 steps and mostly circles around a tight staircase. On my last trip to Paris, I climbed both the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame. Between the two, I 100% wanted to climb Notre-Dame again.

This is a popular attraction and there is a limit to the number of people admited daily. The last admission is 45 minutes before closing and there is usually already a line outside an hour before the towers open. I’d recommend aiming for 9:00-9:30 depending on how the rest of your day looks. On this trip, it actually took us two tries to get in. The first day, we stopped by around noon to a 2 hour queue and decided to just take in the stained glass windows and interior. The second day, we got up earlier.

From the top of the tower, there’s a stunning view of the back of Notre-Dame, the bell tower, the Eiffel Tower and even Sacré-Cœur. Each of the stone gargoyles are unique and charming, a few even carry a fish in their mouths, a snack for later. I won’t lie, the climb up isn’t the easiest, but going at a steady pace, I made it (lagging just a bit behind the main group). There is time to take breaks and windows along the way.

After touring the towers I would recommend going inside the cathedral if you haven’t yet. We proceeded to walk around the side and back of Notre-Dame, another beautiful perspective of the building. We then crossed a bridge, making our way to the neighbouring island and more importantly, Berthillon ice cream stand. Two scoops of creamy tiramisu ice cream makes the perfect reward after the morning’s exercise.

Another 10 minute walk North across Pont Marie brought us to lunch at L’as Du Fallafel, and arguably the best falafel sandwich in Paris. Stephen and I opted for the Chicken Shawarma and after the first bite, I was convinced. The pita bread was thick, almost naan like, and the garlic sauce was so good, tons of garlic flavour but also balanced with a bit of acidity. Lucky for us there wasn’t a line but even if there had been the ordering process was very efficient. As soon as we approached the shop, someone asked us if we were eating in or taking to go and took our order right away. The pickup window was a peek into the speedy production of sandwiches in the kitchen. All in all, we had our shawarma in hand within 5 minutes to share. I debated going back for a second of my own.

While Oakville isn’t my usual neighbourhood, with my parents in East Mississauga, the suburb’s always been just a block away (literally). When I was invited to check out one of Oakville’s top rated restaurants, I was happy to drive just a little farther for lunch before hanging out with my parents for the afternoon. Maro’s Bistro was located in downtown Oakville with a menu full of classic Middle Eastern dishes and Maro’s own unique creations.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Stephen and I visited Maro’s on a Sunday around 11am. Plenty of parking was available behind the restaurant. When we walked in, only one other table was taken so we had our pick of seats. Sunlight streamed into the restaurant from the large storefront windows, so of course we opted for a table close to them. The service was friendly and relaxed. I really liked the natural wood tables and the open kitchen.

Food: To start, I couldn’t resist a cup of Turkish Coffee. Spiced with herbs, the coffee was fragrant and velvety smooth. I’d highly recommend giving it a try regardless of how you feel about regular coffee.. As we sipped on our mugs, a platter of dips (the Meza Plate) arrived with spiced pita bread. The four dips were hummus, baba ganoush, tahini maraina and roasted eggplant. Of the four my favourite was the hummus, which was creamy, garlicky and perfectly seasoned. Compared to that, the baba ganoush was much milder in flavour. I also really enjoyed the roasted eggplant that was charred goodness.

Onto our entrees. Stephen ordered one of Maro’s Signatures, the Lunch in Beirut, sauteed onions and peppers with beef marinated in Middle Eastern spices on a bed of hummus. The plate also had a side of pickled beets and fresh cucumber slices. I was waffling between the salad options and our server recommended I try The Veggie Tower, grilled seasonal vegetables on a bed of Moroccan couscous with chickpeas and hummus. To go along with all the vegetables, I added a side of Tandoori Grilled Chicken Breast. The portions were massive. After munching on dips and pita, there was no chance that Stephen and I would be able to finish our mains. We ended up taking away half of each platter. Along with our mains, a bottle of garlic sauce was brought over that we promptly poured over each plate. That sauce was liquid gold.

Both the meat dishes were well seasoned and had a lot of flavour. The chicken was tender and had tasty crispy bits. Stephen found the texture of the beef a bit grainy. My Veggie Tower had roasted peppers, carrots, onions and zucchini, all coated with the couscous. The vegetables were still firm and was mildly seasoned. A few chunks of avocado was included, but I could’ve done without them as they were not ripe.

Our meal ended on a sweet note with a lovely cup of Persian Tea.

Middle Eastern cuisine is one that I’m not the most familiar with aside from falafel and shawarmas. However, it feels like there are more restaurants opening in Toronto with a menu featuring Middle Eastern flavours. Hungry Amoo is one of these new spots on Ossington in the Queen W neighbourhood that draws inspiration from all over the world to create a fusion menu that ranges from Fried Chicken to Tamarind Beef. Stephen and I stopped by to taste the menu, trekking through a snowstorm outside.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Like many restaurants in the neighbourhood, Hungry Amoo was long and narrow. There was a high communal table just behind the front window, perfect for groups, and cozy leather bench seating along one wall. The bar was lit with purple neon lights. We chose a large table near the back of the restaurant, close to the kitchen, to avoid disturbing other customers with the camera flash. With snow continuing to fall outside, the restaurant stayed quiet that evening.

Food: To start, we decided on the soup of the day after hearing the words “roasted root vegetables”. The thick soup was a perfect match for the weather, well seasoned, a little bit of heat, and with a natural sweetness from the vegetable. From the starter section of the menu, we also tried the Falafel and Tamarind Beef. I enjoyed the fresh hummus and toasted pita chips. The falafels themselves had a nice texture, and good seasoning but were a touch dry. I loved the Tamarind Beef. Each beef was savory, sweet from the date sauce and nutty from the cashews. This was my favourite dish of the evening and I would highly recommend ordering it.

For mains, we tried the house made Seafood Manti and the Lamb Chop. The manti were little dumplings filled with shrimp, crab, fennel, saffron and topped with caviar in a tomato sauce. Raw shredded fennel was served on top of the manti and added a refreshing bite to each spoonful. These manti were very flavourful and you could really taste the saffron. The seafood flavour could have been stronger. As for the lamb, the chop was served on a layer of puff pastry hiding a sauce of yogurt and pistachio with beans and raisins sprinkled on top. The lamb was not too gamey, cooked medium, and was juicy and tender. I really liked the puff pastry but found the yogurt sauce a bit heavy. Overall, the presentation of the dish was interesting and it was very filling.

Ending our evening on a sweet note, Stephen and I had the coconut dusted Sour Cream Donuts with Nutella and banana cream. A perfect way to finish our meal.

When I visited Paramount Fine Foods at Don Mills for their opening, I had the chance to taste bites of popular items from their menu. Even in sample size, the creamy hummus and savory saj wraps were crowd pleasers and quickly snatched up. For me, the samples whet my appetite for more. So when Paramount invited me to visit their Yorkville location to check out some new menu items, I was more than happy to oblige.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Located in the heart of Yorkville at Bay and Bloor, Paramount Fine Foods was compact with natural wood decor and an open kitchen. The restaurant was full of diners when my friend and I arrived at 7pm, and included students, families and couples. This location was full service and many diners lingered over their food to chat.

Food: Dinner began with the Yalla Special, a plate of fresh cut fries topped with chicken shawarma and doused in garlic and tahini sauce. Being a big fan of both sauces, I loved this dish. The crispy fries were the perfect base for the strong flavours in the topping and the savoury chicken. Next was the Mezza Plate, a trio of dips including hummus, moutabal (roasted eggplant) and tabbouleh. Served with the dips was a basket of pillowy pita bread. Of the three, my favourite was the creamy hummus, which was rich and thick. I also enjoyed the fresh tabbouleh, that was a nice contrast to the other two heavier dips.

For our mains, we ordered two platters to share, the BBQ Shrimp Plate with basmati rice and the Tabliyeh Chicken Saj Shawarma with fries. Both platters had a healthy portion of carbs and was very filling. I found the shrimp under seasoned on their own, but a quick dip in the tangy sauce served alongside boosted the flavour. As for the chicken saj wrap, I liked how the thin tortilla was toasted, adding a crunch to each bite. The wrap also had a good amount of filling, and the chicken was tender and flavourful. After finishing the Yalla Special, we still managed to polish off most of the fries, they were that good.

No meal at Paramount would be complete without a few squares of their delicious baklava, or a box full.

Paramount Fine Foods is a fast growing chain of restaurants serving up middle eastern cuisine throughout Canada. This year, 29 new locations are planned, which will double their footprint. Existing locations range from food courts, to hospitals, to stand alone restaurants, including an outlet at Pearson airport. I was invited to the grand opening of one of these new locations at Shops on Don Mills. The evening was filled with music, authentic middle eastern cuisine and plenty of star power.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

The Don Mills location of Paramount Fine Foods was modern with dark wood, leather and pendant lights. A table filled with samples of Paramount’s menu was set up for guests to enjoy. Servers also circulated with platters of mini manakeesh, straight from the oven. The bread was soft and chewy, topped with spices, olive oil and cheeses. Other samples included creamy hummus and tabbouleh salad. There was also a platter of grilled shrimp, that can usually be ordered on skewers as a main dish or part of a family platter. The favourite side I tried was the perfectly roasted potatoes.

Paramount served Tabliyeh style (on a wooden board) shawarma, filled with chicken, beef or sujuk (spiced minced beef sausage) that were quickly snapped up. I really liked the thin saj bread that was used and how the shawarma was grilled crispy before being served. Both the chicken and beef fillings were well seasoned and had a flavourful tahini and garlic sauce. Ingredients were fresh and colourful.

In addition to food, the other star of the night was special guest, Toronto Raptor Jonas Valančiūnas. Guests had the opportunity to take photos and get autographs with the star before he sat down with Paramount CEO and franchise owners to enjoy a meal.

As Paramount Fine Foods continues to grow, I’m looking forward to each new venture. Just announced in April, Paramount has partnered with app Just-Eat to offer home delivery.

Post a busy holiday season filled with family, I met up with my best friend to catch up with our respective significant others. The plan was to grab dinner somewhere and attempt to get a table at Snakes and Lattes, which proved to be impossible on a Friday night even at their new, huge, College location. We did successfully enjoy a satisfying, vegetarian friendly dinner at Pomegranate across the street. This was also The Hubby and I’s first foray into Persian cuisine.

Atmosphere: The interior of Pomegranate was cozy and decorated with colourful tiles, fabrics, ornate light fixtures and a mini fish pond. My eyes kept wandering throughout dinner to the bright turquoise ceiling and wall paintings. The restaurant felt warm and inviting. When we arrived at 7pm, all of the tables were filled with diners. Pomegranate does close fairly early for a Toronto restaurant (9pm Sun, Tue-Thur and 10pm Fri-Sat) so 7pm was the last seating time.

Service: While friendly, I found service to be inattentive. Each entree had the option to replace the side of rice with salad, which I chose, but my plate arrived incorrect. Not a deal breaker and a good opportunity for The Hubby to snap pictures while I flagged down our server, who promptly corrected my order. For the remainder of our meal, we were left much to our own devices. It was a challenge to make eye contact with any servers when we needed something, like the bill, but once we had their attention we were looked after.

Food: To share, I ordered the mirza qasemi, a dish of charred eggplant in a spicy, garlic, tomato sauce served with toasted flatbread. The dip was creamy, smoky, sweet with a hint of spice. I have a soft spot for good eggplant dips and this one hit all the right buttons. We asked for a second serving to flat bread to wipe the bowl clean. This dish was also available as an entree.

My friend’s vegetarian boyfriend chose the vegetarian adas polo, saffron basmati rice with lentils, dates and raisins blended in. The rice was colourful and wonderfully fragrant.

I chose the fesenjaan with chicken breast, a thick stew of ground walnut and pomegranate syrup. This dish was savoury and earthy from the walnuts and sweet and tangy from the pomegranate syrup. An interesting dish with ingredients that I wouldn’t have known to combine. For a small bowl, the fesenjaan was very filling, complimented nicely by the refreshing side salad and citrus dressing. I did have to steal some of The Hubby’s basmati rice as a base for the rich stew.

His dinner was the baqali polo, basmati rice blended with dill and fava beans, served with a braised lamb shank and Persian pickles. First, those pickles were sour, cheek sucking, lip pursing sour, and delicious. The lamb shank was juicy, very tender and light on gamey flavour. For $15.50, the portion size was a good value (he was happy to share his rice).

Overall, dinner at Pomegranate was a wonderful introduction to a few Persian dishes. I can’t speak to the authenticity, but my taste buds were pleased.

Healthy, quick meal options are always a challenge when eating out. One of the new choices popping up around town is Me Va Me, a quick service restaurant serving fresh, made to order, Mediterranean cuisine like their famous creamy hummus and grilled lamb skewers. There are currently 3 locations in the GTA, downtown Toronto, Markham Cinemas and North York. The Hubby and I stopped by the shiny new Markham location for dinner and was joined by Oleg from Me Va Me to introduce us to their menu.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Our dinner was on a Saturday night at 7pm and every seat in the restaurant was taken. Customers placed their order at the counter, received a tracker and was free sit anywhere inside the restaurant. Every table was equipped with a device linked to the tracker. Thus, once an order was ready, servers could find the customer and deliver the food straight to their seat. A good number of servers also circulated the dining area clearing plates and could be easily flagged down if needed.

We first sat at bar seats with a view into the kitchen where laffa bread was being freshly baked. The baker used a machine to flatten out each ball of dough and manually placed them into the incredibly hot clay oven. Oleg estimated the Markham location to go through 40-50kg of dough a day. At the bar was a selection of Ontario wines on tap! What I’ve always wanted at home. The Hubby tried the refreshing signature Lemonana drink, a slushie mint lemonade, while I sipped on a glass of pinot grigio.

After watching the laffa bread being made, I wanted to get my hands on some. We ordered a trio dip plate ($11.95), which came with 2 large pitas. Of the dips available, I chose the hummus, baba ganoush and fried eggplant. All three were delicious. The hummus was extra creamy with a rich garlic flavour. My favourite dip was the baba ganoush with the touch of citrus. Meanwhile, The Hubby really enjoyed the fried eggplant that was sweeter and smokey. From the Hot N’ Crispy section of the menu, we tried the falafel (6 pieces for $5.45) and moroccan cigars (6 pieces for $6.95), seasoned beef rolled in phyllo pastry and fried. Both were served with a side of tahini sauce. I prefered the classic falafel that were crunchy and not oily but I did find the moroccan cigars more flavourful and better seasoned.

For mains, I sampled three “Box” meals. Each order came with a protein, side and salad. Prices ranged from $10.95 for falafel to $17.95 for grilled lamb skewers. Portions of each plate were huge and The Hubby and I could have easily split one order. In fact, we really should have since we ended up taking lots of leftovers home.

I tasted the grilled chicken skewers, grilled lamb skewers and chicken schnitzel. Each order was served with three mini skewers of meat. The chicken breast had beautiful grill marks and I was impressed with how juicy and tender they were. The lamb was also delicious, tender, gamey and grilled to medium doneness. The chicken schnitzel was as big as my head, thin, crispy and I loved the added sesame seeds in the coating.

From the options for sides and salads, I tried the basmati rice, grilled vegetables and potato wedges with dill and garlic. Of the three, the potato wedges won my heart with their strong herb seasoning and crispy exterior. The 3 salad choices available were ME Salad (mixed greens with a house dressing), greek and caesar. I really enjoyed the house dressing, which was sweet and tangy with the fresh vegetables.

With the many delicious and healthy options at Me Va Me, I could choose to indulge or get my daily serving of vegetables.

I’ve been visiting Tabule for lunch since I started working in the Yonge and Eglinton area almost 5 years ago. They’re one of my favourite stops offering tasty and healthy lunch options at a great price. I usually try to arrive a couple of minutes before noon to beat the lunch time rush. There are two main dining areas that can easily seat large groups. The service is always professional but there have been a few meals when it’s on the slower side. Even after all my visits, I still enjoy watching the servers pour water from the special glass pitchers that creates a long stream of water to your glass.

Their lunch menu features a selection of salads and protein options served either in a pita or with a side of rice and salad. With each of the pita or grill plates, a bowl of Tabule’s lentil soup that has no cream or butter can be added to the meal for $3. I’ve tried most of the menu items and always return to the kefta grill plate. The charboiled lamb and beef meatballs are juicy and flavourful. I love the side salad, dressed simply with lemon juice and mint. The rice is seasoned and topped with fried onions. Altogether the plate is a satisfying lunch, especially if paired with a cup of Moroccan mint tea. I would also recommend the salmon, lamb chops, falafel and chicken salad.

Tabule has a second location at 810 Queen St East. Both restaurants feature a live belly dancing performance on Saturdays at 7:30pm and 9:30pm during the dinner service.