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EATING WELL FOR LESS —by Elizabeth Smyth
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Al-Sultan Restaurant | 1813 Douglas St, | 250.590.4044
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Anyone I know who’s lived in Montreal shares a craving beyond bagels: shawarma. This Middle Eastern sandwich is ubiquitous in Montreal, yet a rarer find here. Al-Sultan Restaurant meets my shawarma need. The shaved beef is seasoned with a symphony of spices, including cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. It is then stuffed into a soft pita along with garlicky tahini sauce, lettuce, pickles, onion, and tomato. In a great shawarma, the sauce and tomato juice ooze out onto your hand and cheek: this one meets the criterion. At $6.99, it’s probably one of the main reasons this restaurant has become the hangout for international students from the Arab nations. It definitely has a student vibe, which is a nice way of saying barren décor, but hey, who cares if you’re just grabbing a shawarma. Other noteworthy dishes on the menu are the lentil soup, which is rich and creamy with a hint of lemon, and, for sheer volume, the beef kebab platter that can Amanda at Al-Sultan feed two, since it consists of three 8-inch kebabs, a with a shawarma mound of rice, and a large side of hummus. That all comes to $14.99. The desserts are reasonably priced at $3.49. One that was new to me was the Basbousa, which is a mixture of semolina, coconut, and almonds covered in syrup, reminiscent of a macaroon. At Al-Sultan, your greeting will be warm and the service helpful.
Ocean Island Café Lounge, 791 Pandora Ave, | 250.385.1784
And now for rock bottom prices. The Ocean Island Café Lounge at the backpackers’ inn by the same name has a tiny little café tucked in on the main floor. The menu is simple: salads are $2.75 or $5.75, sandwiches and burgers are $5.75, and items under the heading “International Favourites” are $5.75. After 10 pm, most of these items are a dollar less, so now we’re looking at under $5. I tried a few items, and will advise you where to focus your attention. I was very pleasantly surprised by the Grilled Chicken Panini. I say surprised because a panini is one of those things that everyone thinks they can do when it actually requires skill. I’ve had plenty of disappointing paninis that are not warm in the middle or have a poor ratio of bread to stuffing. But voila! This Panini is big, fat, hearty, and basic, but the fillings are all warm and the sundried tomato pesto properly accents the chicken and cheese. There’s even a generous side of a simple salad to make it all a balanced meal. The dressing is probably Kraft, but remember, we’re looking at a hearty meal here for under $6, and under $5 late at night. Under “International Favourites,” I’d target the Moroccan Stew with Couscous, which has chunks of sweet potato, carrots, and zucchini along with chick peas. They could pull back on the cinnamon a bit, but it’s overall decent. And the Southwest Chili impressed me because given the price point, I expected a big reliance on cheap red kidney beans, but it was in fact full of beef with just a few beans. It was your basic potluck fare at a fair price. Now, what you’ll get along with rock bottom is raucous. This is a hostel, so you’re sitting on bar stools or rickety chairs, there’s loud music in the background, and young travelers having animated, multilingual conversations. Of course! That’s what it’s supposed to be, but you need to know that this is a place to grab a cheap sandwich, not to propose to your loved one. It’s also a place to bring your kid for lunch between downtown errands, because you won’t spend a lot of money, and the staff are happy to cut stuff up and bring an extra plate.
fresh flavours, casual comfort, genuine service
early bird dinner specials 5pm - 6pm Monday to Friday $15.95 Monday - Oceanwise ‘Catch of the Day’ Tuesday - Cowichan Valley Chicken Wednesday - Flat Iron Steak Thursday - Curry of the Day Friday - Chef’s Choice
For reservations: 250.655.9700 • www.sidneypier.com www.eatmagazine.ca MARCH | APRIL 2010
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