Dinner at Yianni's Taverna

Appetizers: roasted olives and hummus. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 28, 2017 at 4:26pm PDT

I was treated to a fabulous dinner at Yianni's Taverna a couple of weeks ago. We started with the hummus and pita, as well as the roasted olives. The hummus was rich and thick, and likely the best I have ever had. The olives were hot, marinated in seasonings and oil, and absolutely incredible. I could probably have made a meal out of the appetizers.

Rack of lamb for him and roasted chicken for me. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Oct 28, 2017 at 5:14pm PDT

I had the chicken (top), which was a full breast grilled and seasoned to perfection. The vegetables were just lightly blanched while the lemon potatoes were excellent - cooked fork tender and not overwhelming on the lemon. A dollop of tzatziki on the side complemented the chicken well. I also tried a bite of the rack of lamb. While I am not a lamb fan, this was absolutely succulent, cooked to a perfect medium, and a huge portion.

Lamb Kebabs at Naanolicious

Supper at Naanolicious after the Saturday afternoon jam at Blues On Whyte is something of a ritual. I have tried the chicken and paneer kebabs, but but the opportunity to try some of the lamb kebabs. Huge chunks of meat and vegetables were served on a sizzling platter, with saffron rice. The lamb was just tender enough, and did not taste gamey. I personally prefer the taste of beef and will try those kebabs on a future visit.

Saturday at Sabzy

On Saturday, I had supper at Sabzy. I wanted something to drink without alcohol and was reflective of Persian culture. My answer came in a cup of doogh, which is carbonated, plain yogurt with herbs. The taste was salty and sour, and the carbonation added an interesting texture. It is definitely not something to chug down when thirsty, but to sip and experience. I could see myself acquiring a taste for this.

The lamb shank with barberry rice was ordered on the other side of the table, but I just had to try it. The lamb was cooked for 18 hours and the seasonings had totally permeated it. It literally fell off the bone. It tasted different than any other lamb I had ever tried before.

I had the barberry rice mix with marinated chicken. The chicken was also very tender, with flavour through and through. The rice was plentiful and had an interesting assortment of flavours. At its base was saffron, topped with almonds, pistachios, and barberry, which were dried. They look like pieces of pomegranate, but have a slightly bitter flavour. This dominated, and I could not really taste the nuts.

Overall, we both enjoyed our meals. I am going to have to come back for the doogh and the lamb shank.