Don't Judge

If you were apt to judge a place just by walking in, you may not pay Safa Kabob any mind. Still, don’t let its glowing menu board deter you. The motif of the fast food restaurant certainly engrosses the physical space, what with its washed out lighting, quiet atmosphere, and spacious dining room. But given a little toleration, the Middle Eastern kitsch that decorates its sand coloured walls may be just enough to charm you. It certainly charmed me.

Now, I’m not particularly polished when it comes to Traditional Eastern cuisine, but I’m acquainted with enough culinary consultants who are more than happy to spoon feed me when it comes to trying new things, and this time was no exception. Luckily, my fellow comrade in culinary arms was well versed and able to enlightenment me on just what made Safa Kabob Restaurant the modern twist on Traditional Eastern cuisine it claims to be. In fact, what makes it different from other Middle Eastern cuisine is its fusion with markedly Indian dishes that share the same underpinnings of Middle Eastern flavours, but aren’t particularly combined in any fantastic way. That said, the option of a menu that offers kabobs, curries, wraps, and specialty dishes still offers great choice and a meal that can easily fill two for under 30 dollars. 

We elected to try a dish from every section on the menu, and were ambitious enough to eat every dessert. We ordered the lamb kabob (11.99), a seasonal favourite of the place, using its limited but privileged supply of fresh Ontario lamb chops, the beef Gosht Masala (10.99) curry dish, and Safa’s eggplant vegetarian dish (10.99). Confoundingly, our desire to sample every dessert was dissuaded, as we were assured all we’d need to drink was the jug of Mango lassi (5.99), more than enough for two. It was a moment before I could come to terms with a restaurant trying not to sell its customers everything on the menu, but the trolley cart wheeling out copious amounts of naan bread and dishes of rice along with our meals had me rethinking why I had been leery in the first place. 

Yes, we were laden with a buffet of potent purees and succulent stews, accompanied by undressed salads, plain rice, and ever so popular naan bread. To the untrained eye, I was assured the hodgepodge of food could easily appear dull, and the only thing with any flavor reserved to the humble bowls of beef and eggplant; however, the creative eater could make a patchwork of all the flavours offered. Our vegetarian eggplant dish was a compote of aubergine, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and spices. The oily smash was a pungent, spicy mix speckled with quenching minces of coriander that turned any overpowering salty savoury flavor into something bright and clean. Mixed with rice, it became a fulfilling mix of samala spice reminiscent of the curry flavor we associate with so much Indian cuisine. 

Our beef Gosht Masala shared the same spice foundation, enlivened with a fiery concentrated stew of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and fresh green peppers. The dish’s beef tenderly surrendered to any fork, revealing a deep maroon coloured flesh. My naan bread, with its crisply roasted crust and perforated pillowy interior, had no reservations about wiping up any stew left over in the silver bowl. And the mango lassi did a good job of tempering the fire in our bellies; the small, yet surprisingly filling, jug of pureed mango and yogurt coated and calmed the insides of our stomachs and left a memorial sweetness that lingered on the back of our breaths even hours after our meal. And though our lamb chops were more done than I would have preferred, the charred exterior matched a motif of meat that depended only on its own earthy flavor and very little seasoning. A welcomed gamey quality added a good change to the family of flavours in our meal, and had me wondering why I had even thought twice about Safa Kabob Restaurant in the first place.




Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

ANY PAYMENT

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