Arnabit, tisiyeh, foul, and molokia from Zezafoun

If our meal at Boukan was any indication, we need to start calling in reinforcements and fast! The reality is, we want to try so many dishes, and it can too much for two people - especially when the food is meant to be eaten fresh. My other challenge is that while I really want to explore plant-based eats, I also want to respect that plant-based options may not be featured in certain cuisines or at least in restaurants. I often think about the Vietnamese saying "you go out for noodles, you eat rice at home," and I want to both respect cultures/availability of foods in restaurants and for B to be able to enjoy 'the noodles' as he chooses, even if it isn't plant-based. Luckily, we have many friends and family members who are willing to go on this adventure with us. And, as Ontario slowly opens, we are able to eat outside with them.

This week we ordered Syrian food with my parents. Zezafoun is a family restaurant opened in 2018 from mother-daughter pair Yolla and Marcelle Aleid as a way to promote Syrian food and culture. The restaurant is quaint, sitting just off of Yonge Street in Midtown, but instantaneously transports you to Syria. The music, the decor, and the smells of sumac, coriander, cumin, and sesame in the air make you believe you've left Toronto.

We ordered tisiyeh, foul mudamas, molokia with chicken, falafel and the cauliflower platter.

Tisiyeh, a type of fatteh (a dish with pita soaked in hot broth and topped with labneh and/or tahini), is layered with chickpeas, almonds, and pops of pomegranate arils. Although I've eaten a lot of tahini in my life, I had never had it warm and this dish was all encompassing. The pomegranate gave it a pop of brightness against the savoury flavours of the tahini and the almonds allowed for a greater textual difference, something particularly welcomed in our take out-only reality. I do think the vegetarian version of the tisiyeh, which is served with labneh in addition to the tahini, may have a bit more brightness and flavour contrasts, but either way we happily ate it and would order it again.

Foul mudamas, often considered an Egyptian dish, is also prominent in Syria. In the Syrian preparation, the fava beans are served alongside fresh tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and rather than tahini, Zezafoun includes some chickpeas as decoration. The fava beans were al dente and their preparation with the fresh tomatoes made the dish bright compared to the warmth of the tisiyeh.

My parents are not plant-based and requested was one chicken or lamb dish. B chose the molokia (or jute mallow) with chicken. Jute mallow isn't as popular in Canada, but is prominent in Middle Eastern, West African, Southeast, East, and South Asian cooking, amongst others. The Syrian preparation involves braising the molokia leaves and chicken and serving it with lemon (and sometimes Aleppo pepper) and eating it with a side of rice. Both B and my parents felt that the flavours of the molokia melded into the chicken and gave it a lot of flavour.

The last main we ordered was the arnabit (fried cauliflower) platter. Originally we were supposed to get the falafel and arnabit platters getting two platters both served with fattoush and hummus sides seemed a little unnecessary, so instead we opted for the arnabit and a side (or three) of falafel, hummus, and yalniji (vine leaves).

The arnabit was the first smell when I walked into Zezafoun and the soft and crispy textures paired with the taste of the warm spices adorning every nook and cranny of the cauliflower... it was just delicious. And then there was the falafel. Let me first say: I have had a lot of falafel/ta'miya over the years both in Canada and abroad (Egypt, Israel, Turkey, etc.). This was some of the best falafel I've ever had. Possibly THE best. It was so crunchy and perfectly seasoned. Even as a side, the falafel came with pickles and hummus allowing for a tangy, crispy, salty (but not too salty) and overall incredible bite.

Unanimously, the falafel and arnabit were the best dishes of the night, but we truly enjoyed everything. My parents appreciated trying out the molokia and eating a dish they otherwise wouldn't have ordered and we all enjoyed the tisiyeh because it's the furthest from what dishes we've eaten before; despite being made from ingredients we eat weekly.

Overall Rating: 8.75/10 (L - 9, B - 8.5)

Main takeaway: Zezafoun is a great place to check out and has so many vegan options. It was nice to be able to get a taste of so many dishes and also be wrapped in the nostalgia of foods and flavours similar to what I grew up with. It was also such a treat to look at a menu and know what was vegan AND have so many options that all looked incredible. That experience in itself is wholly underrated. If and when you try Zezafoun (because you definitely should) order the arnabit and falafel... you will not regret it.