Zezafoun Syrian Cuisine  – 4 Manor Rd E, Toronto, ON M4S 1P8
Country: Syria        
Must-try dish: Makdous Fatteh
Seating: Indoor seating and patio in front during the warmer months. 
Dinner guests: Grandma P
The high: This restaurant is always delicious and satisfying. 
The low: The menu is laid out in a confusing manner. 

Texture is the name of the game in Syrian cuisine, whether it be dips, salads, stews, desserts, they all have layers of texture that are unique with every bite. It’s an adventure in every bite. Aside from the terrific cooking happening at one of our favourite Toronto restaurants, we’re also endeared to this incredible all-female operation, sharing home cooked recipes from Syria with the diners of Toronto. No matter what time or day of the week, Zezafoun is feeding a crowd, and you’re lucky if you get a table without a reservation. Hint Hint!

As always, starting with a dip or two is the play. Muhammara was an excellent choice to accompany the rest of our order – it’s a marriage of sweet and savoury with roasted red pepper, chili, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and olive oil, all blended up together. There’s a punch of flavour with each bite that represents at least one of the many ingredients that make up the dip. Despite being a crowd pleaser, it’s also an excellent addition to pita bread or falafel. 

When in a trio, the Beef Kebbeh plate is a good option as it comes with three pieces. They are deep fried and stuffed with seasoned ground beef and bulgur wheat. Although these pockets are common on the majority of Middle Eastern menus, there’s a vast range of quality, and they’ll always be better warm. Zezafoun’s recipe is a delicious representation of the dish. 

The Sourki sounded good, and tasted better. It’s a hybrid of a salad and dip blended together. The base is a creamy, spreadable cheese topped with tomatoes and onions with olive oil. It’s one of the most unique dishes on the menu, and absolutely worth ordering to share before the heavy weights arrive. This won’t be the last time this plate gets ordered amongst our gang. 

One of the most prominent dishes in Syrian cuisine is Makdous Fatteh (Tisiyeh). Zezafoun does a few variation of Fetteh including a breakfast version, a vegan one, and the Makdous, which is our must-try dish. It’s the epitome of a textured dish. The base is thin crispy pita chips mixed in with ground beef and a generous portion of their famous velvety tahini sauce. It’s all about the texture and the flavour. The toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds solidify its place as the queen on Zezafoun’s menu. 

In keeping with a less meaty evening, the Burning Fingers were right up our alley. This dish hails from Damascus, the capital of Syria, and it’s a mosaic of textures. This delicious medley is made up of lentils, swiss chard, garlic, crispy onions, tamarind, bits of baked dough, and cilantro. Despite sounding kind of random, it’s worth every bite. 

Instead of a salad, the Molokia with Chicken, a traditional Syrian dish was on the roster. Molokai is similar to spinach yet different in taste, and in this dish it’s lightly cooked to remove any bitterness. To create the dish, the greens are cooked with onion and lemon then tender pieces of chicken are added in to beef it up. Despite the healthy description of this dish, Zezafoun and Syrians alike describe this dish as “Simply Comfort Food!”

Dessert isn’t always on the table but when a Cream Cheese Kunafeh Tart is available, you just don’t deny yourself that delightful pleasure. It’s essentially a supped up cheese cake with crunchy shredded wheat strands with orange blossom and pistachios. This is a winning recipe due to the orange blossom, a delicate yet fresh addition that enhances the cheese. 

We can’t stress enough how great this restaurant is, and the fact that it’s always busy is a testament to the service, the food, and the atmosphere. In addition, there’s a reason that this is our 3rd time blogging about it and our most repeated restaurant in our arsenal! Cheers to Syrian cuisine, and these amazing women who bring it to the people of Toronto. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)