Tonight we were at Tayybeh for dinner. I am already familiar with their Syrian cuisine, having been first acquainted when they started their catering business over 8 years ago. Until very recently they have been working out of pop up spaces and commissary kitchens.
Aside from their traditional and authentic food, they are also known for supporting women with their all woman staff and team. They sponsor wives and mothers from Syria, looking to avoid conflict in the Middle East, by coming to Canada as chefs.
Since then they have opened their first store front on West Broadway, serving their baked goods, takeaway frozen dishes, and full meals in a sit down cafe setting. An eye catching store front with their trademark florescent Barbie pink signage and matching pink tables.
Our visit coincided with Ramadan and they had a special menu for the fasting. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. This is a commemoration of Muhammad’s first revelation, lasting twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next (as taken from Wikipedia). This year, Ramadan is expected to begin in the evening on Sunday, March 10, 2024 and end on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. And the following special, multiple course set menu is available during that time.
Designed for those fasting, you get 8 courses for $35, and there is enough food for two.
Our set Ramadan menu started with dried dates, a sweet beginning to whet the appetite.
This was followed by some warm Lentil Soup that is vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free. Majority of their menu is actually plant-based and very friendly for those with dietary restrictions.
This was a blend of lentil, vegetables, and spices, great in helping to warm up an empty stomach. Fragrant, comforting and slightly sweet, although not for me as I am not a fan of the grainy and ashy texture of such blended beans.
The Garden Salad was a little bland and a lot dry for my tastes. A mix of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and parsley; tossed with mint, sumac, lemon, and olive oil. Although I got none of the oil and seasonings outside of the peppery herbs. I found it best as a refreshing bite to the main below, but not enough to carry its own.
The Muttabal Dip is smoked eggplant with tahini and olive oil. Served at room temperature this had the perfect paste-like texture for dipping our side of pita into. The addition of the oils and spices enhanced the flavour and kept me going back for more.
The Cheese Sambousak was a crispy golden half-moon pocket filled with cheese and parsley. I found it like a savoury doughy turn over filled with a salty blend of what tasted like feta and ricotta combined. This was a nice appetizer to crunch on, much like the meat version below. They two paired well together, as each other’s counter part.
Kibbeh is a beef and bulgur wheat shell filled with ground beef, crushed nuts and traditional Middle Eastern spices. (As per Wikipedia) “Bulgar” is a cereal food made from whole wheat partially boiled then dried. In this crispy dumpling it tasted like ground beef in Shepherd’s pie, but without the potato. As is I felt it could have used a tangy dip or sauce to fully flavour.
For the main in your set meal you have a choice between meatballs with rice or chicken over rice. I passed on the meatballs, fearing they could be too dry or too similar to the above. Instead, I got the Chicken Kabsa, which I was happy with. Halal, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Seasoned lightly, flaky rice topped with tender Chicken thighs. Not overly salted, just a barely there herb flavour that left you feeling clean.
For dessert the meal ended with an Atayef, a Middle Eastern pancake filled with either walnuts or sweet cheese, then drizzled with honey and topped with cinnamon and pistachio. This was a special added on to the menu specifically for Ramadan. The shell was crispy on the exterior with a chewy mochi-like layer under it. It reminded me of the Chinese fried sesame balls at dim sum in texture. The cheese on was slightly salty side and reminded me of cheesecake with the sweetness of rose water coming through. This was very different and nothing like I have had before.
The nut version was similar, just with crunchy, chopped up walnuts at the centre. I preferred the cheese out of my personal preference for cheese over nuts.
And the set ended with Al-deen juice, a speciality juice squeezed from soaked and blended dried apricots. This made for an excellent palate refresher with the syrupy apricot leaving your mouth on a sweet note. I especially enjoyed the pulp at the bottom.
Not part of the Ramadan set menu, but worth trying, seeing as this was my guest’s first time experiencing Tayybeh’s cuisine, is all their dips. You can order them a la carte for $8 an appetizer with your choice of soft pita or hard chips. Or better yet, order them as part of their “3 Dip Deal!” and get all three varieties for $20, plus l a whole bag of their chips for $10. And what you can’t finish during your meal you can take home, already travel-ready to go.
The Hummus Dip is a classic. The Mutabbal/Smoked Eggplant Dip had a great roasted and smokey quality to it. And the Mhammara/Sweet Red Pepper Dip is the one that they are best known for as different option, with the fragrant roasted sweetness of the peppers really at the forefront.
I, myself recommend their Chicken shawarma, available as either a wrap or bowl. Marinated grilled chicken strips served in a pita wrap or over rice with pickles and garlic sauce. The chicken was grilled tendered and tasty, more flavourful that the chicken we had above, especially with its thick smothering of garlic sauce. It added moisture and flavour, tying everything together. The salad was interesting, it had flavours that reminded me of preserved plum. Abrasive like pickles on its own. I could see it more benefiting the wrap, adding a fresh and tangy element.
Overall, we enjoyed our clean and healthy meal. And it was nice to experience something different that helps women in so many ways.
Tayybeh
2836 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6K 1R2
(236) 471-6257
tayybeh.com
