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| - If Gary Johnson had eaten at Damas in Montreal, he would have saved himself from the embarrassment and ridicule from asking: "what is Aleppo?"... then again, he might have leapt up excitedly and said: ooh, I know. It's a Kabab ;)
So, I had to part with CAD 35 to find a memorable Shish Taouk in Montreal. Memorable for two reasons: (a) delicious; (b) actually Shish Taouk and not chicken shawarma erroneously called as Shish Taouk throughout the city.
Damas, the French name for Damascus, serving Syrian food in an upscale setting, with equal attention paid to the decor as to the food quality, is a fantastic restaurant with some specialty dishes that you won't even find in a larger city like NYC. The menu is extensive and spans charcoal grilled dishes, other entrees, hot and cold mezzes, and desserts. You can make a meal out of the mezzes or you can even get a tasting menu for CAD 75.
My server was knowledgeable of the cuisine and invested in my having a great meal. I always appreciate that deeply. But, I wanted to keep the meal light and so had to say no to quite a few of her recommendations such as the Fattoush salad, and the Hummus (despite her entreaties. But, hey: I dine at Zahav in Philly every other month and don't miss quality Hummus in my life). Instead I started with the Eggplant Mutabbal: Eggplant dip dotted with pomegranate seeds adding extra tartness and crunch served with warm and extremely puffy pita bread. This was followed by the delightful Shish Taouk, perfectly juicy and charred, served with fries dusted with Sumac. Finally, I had the baked to order Kunafa (sweetened cheese encased in semolina, covered with pistachios and drizzled with rose and orange blossom scented sugar syrup) for dessert and it was one of the better versions I've had. It's meant for two, as the server cautioned me, but I was able to eat my way through 3/4 before giving up. I was glad I strived :)
The only negative was that sitting at the bar opposite the open kitchen got hot and stuffy after a while from the heat of the grill. So, probably best to find another seat in the spacious restaurant.
Where Damas succeeds beyond any shadow of doubt is that it transcends the bucket people place ethnic restaurants into. Damas isn't an excellent Middle Eastern restaurant - it's simply an excellent restaurant as the throngs of diners will attest to.
(4.5 stars)
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