Thank the restaurant gods that the taqueria fad is fading! This spring, a crush of Middle Eastern restaurants has flooded the Toronto dining scene, and I could not be more delighted. I hate to say it, but a taco, to a certain degree, is a taco. From Egypt to Iran, there is so much preparation variation, even if I can’t tell the difference between Lebanese and Israeli za’atar. Here are three Middle Eastern variations on the theme of lamb from across the city.
Cleo (3471 Yonge St., 416-440-0700)
Finding a good pork rib in this town is no challenge, but lamb ribs, now that’s different. At Bedford Park’s new contemporary Middle Eastern restaurant, Cleo, chef-owner Samir Girgis prepares a lip smack–worthy lamb rib meze ($11).
Girgis rubs his ribs with salt, sugar, rosemary, thyme, star anise, juniper, bay leaf, orange zest and fennel seeds and fronds. Then he lets the meat cure for a day and a half. After the ribs are rinsed and patted dry, they hit the grill for a quick char and then are popped into the oven to braise in a lamb stock for three hours or until tender.
Once they’re tender, the ribs are laid on trays, slathered in a sweet glaze (sherry vinegar, honey, cranberry, tamarind, smoked paprika). Then, the lamb is put to bed for a night to dry out (less liquid means larger flavours: think dry-aged beef).
On the third day, the ribs hit the wood-fired oven for about 20 minutes, held under a weighted tray to render excess fat. What you are left with is a crispy-skinned exterior and a melt-in-your mouth interior, served on a bed of mashed pickled eggplant.
Takht-e Tavoos (1120 College St., 647-352-7322)
If you haven’t made the trek down to College Street to try Persian brunch at Takht-e Tavoos, then you’re missing out. When famed New York City–based food writer Ruth Reichl was touring Toronto, she stopped in for lunch and called her meal “inspiring.” That’s some serious praise from a serious food critic. And, if you’re tired of frivolous lunches, you might be up for Takht-e Tavoos’s “serious lunch,” the dizi sangi is a traditional peasant’s stew of lamb, potatoes and chickpeas and is served in a dizi, or stone pot ($13.95).
Lamb shank, lamb rib, chickpeas, white beans, potato, onion and tomato are stewed for four hours. Then the stew is strained, separating the broth and the contents. A notch down on the interactive meal scale from Korean BBQ, it’s up to the diner to finish preparing the meal.
On a pewter tray, the broth is served in a bowl with flatbread and condiments, while the —excuse the pun — meat of the stew is delegated to the dizi, which comes with a pestle. Pound the meat and beans into a purée and scoop it up with flatbread. Traditionally, the bread is broken up and soaked in the broth, but we enjoyed piling the dizi contents onto a piece of flatbread, dressing it with yogurt and spicy pickles and then bathing the mouthful in the broth before gobbling it down.
Byblos (11 Duncan St., 647-660-0909)
Over at Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji’s new East Mediterranean joint, Byblos, they too serve an interactive DIY lamb dish (market price). Exec chef Stuart Cameron braises a sumac, thyme and garlic–marinated lamb shoulder for 14 hours at 210°F.
When the dish — which can feed six — hits the table, it comes with all sorts of tasty accoutrements, including pickled turnip, Lebanese cucumber pickle, guindilla peppers, toum (emulsified garlic sauce), zhoug (cardamom-redolent green chili sauce) and lavash — a type of flatbread. Diners are encouraged by knowledgeable wait staff to combine the embarrassment of offerings into delicious wraps.
Once the kitchen runs out, you’re out of luck. And since they only prepare about 12 portions a night, we suggest you reserve for the first seating if you’re keen to try this dish.
