Mishwar Restaurant – 513 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1P5
Country: Lebanon 
Seating: There’s indoor and outdoor seating. 
Must-try dish: Chef’s Sampler
The high: The outdoor and indoor seating are both very appealing. 
The low: You can’t get individual meat skewers, only by the platter. 

There’s a heatwave plaguing Toronto and Mandrea Bike has lunch in the calendar. We decided to keep the date and go for something fresh in an attempt to stay cool – Lebanese was the perfect option. 

Mishwar is right in the middle of all the action on the Danforth and there are a number of tables on the sidewalk and street to appease all types of diners. However, the decor inside the restaurant takes you across the world to Lebanon, so either of the seating options are attractive depending on your mood. 

We opted for the sidewalk, and we’re sure happy we did because not only did we randomly run into a fan of Eat the World TO, but we also drew the attention of new customers to the restaurant with the delicious looking food on our table. In this case, it’s worth judging a book by its cover because the plates are beautifully presented in both colour and texture, as well as in taste. 

Without further adieu, here’s what was on order at Mishwar:  

Chef’s Sampler: This lazy-susan platter is the base for a medley of mezzes from the hot and the cold section of the menu. Mezzes are small plates, similar to appetizers, and in this case, the servings are generous. Three dips are involved – a chickpea dip called Hummus, an eggplant dish called Mouttabal and a red pepper dip called Muhammara. Next there were four portions of stuffed Grape Leaves and a small Taboule salad. Finally a bowl with one portion of Falafel, Kibbeh (ground beef in a pattie), Spinach Fatayer (miniature pie filled with spinach, onions and spices), and Beef Sambousek (miniature pie filled with beef, onion and spices). 

The kitchen was feeling generous that day because we got another pair of Falafels on the house that tasted fantastic. 

Shawarma Wrap: Beef isn’t always available, so the obvious choice was to opt for red meat. In terms of dressing it up, we went to work and you should too. This includes hummus, garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickled turnips and cheese. The wrap itself is grilled so it comes warm and the cheese is melted. Does it get any better than that? We think not. 

Ayran: This drink is essentially greek yogurt in liquid form made into a beverage. It’s not terrible, but it’s probably better suited for breakfast with a touch of honey. This drink is native to Turkey but is popular throughout the Middle East, and a crowd favourite at Mishwar. It would be paired perfectly with a spicy dish.

Although the service was friendly, there was a minor lack of knowledge of the food so we did some research before placing the order. But this doesn’t reflect on the food itself and the atmosphere. Lebanese cuisine has a special quality that appeals to all types of palates and diets, and it’s also a style of cuisine that brings on thoughts of a trip to Beirut. Maybe it’s in the cards sometime after this pandemic? 

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)