I awoke with a start from a dream in which I was a pita bread mogul, an entrepreneur who had parlayed a small artisanal pita shop into a veritable flatbread empire.
Despite my success, the work was still grueling, somehow, and was fraught with early mornings, hot ovens and a sore back. My forearms were the size of Popeye’s from stretching all that dough.
Through blurry eyes I spied a plastic fork stuck upright in a small dollop of hummus, relegated to the corner compartment of a Styrofoam take-away container perched precariously on the edge of the table in front of me.
I had fallen asleep on the couch. Efforts to sit upright met with some resistance from my fuzzy brain. It had been a late night and visions of a group visit to a kebab shop on Sauchiehall Street slowly returned; the evening before had been my first in Glasgow and the post-pub foray into a highly regarded all-hours kebab shop was the brainchild of my soon-to-be brother-in-law, Tom.
I cursed his name thoroughly but somewhere deep down I recognized that my ability to function at all was largely due to that amazing take-away meal.
The late-night kebab is a staple in the U.K. and a tradition I actively seek whenever I find myself over there. While others relish the nightclubs and seemingly bottomless pint glasses, the thing I appreciate most about a good night out in Scotland is the requisite tray of delicious and satisfying Middle Eastern and/or Mediterranean take-away fare.
I must confess I have mixed feelings about writing this review.
You see, Yummy Donair Kebab, a treasure of a shop tucked well away from the main thoroughfares of North Vancouver on the corner of West 16th Street and Hamilton Avenue, has become a go-to destination for me and a place I consider my little secret (despite the fact the restaurant is never without a healthy crowd of the initiated).
Open late seven nights a week, Yummy is the closest thing I have found on the Shore to a U.K.-style kebab take-away. I have tried everything on the menu a few times over and now find myself periodically daydreaming about their chicken donair platter, a magical combination of goodies that I have systematically introduced to friends over the years, following an appropriate period of evaluating their moral fibre.
It is worth taking pause to remark on the name of this establishment, a brazen invitation for scrutiny if ever there was one. Proprietors must be confident in the quality of their donair product if they are to call their restaurant Yummy. Happily, this joint delivers in deed as in name.
Yummy’s menu is straightforward: patrons choose from falafel or donair, available as both wraps and platters. The latter features the chosen protein (falafel, chicken, lamb or beef), saffron rice, Greek salad with Kalamata olives, garlic, hot, and tzatziki sauces, and ample strips of Sangak bread, the famous Persian pita-style flatbread that is baked in-house at Yummy and, in a welcome bit of enterprise, is also made available for sale in three-foot sheets for just $2.
Alternatively, patrons can order from the kebab menu, featuring flame-grilled skewers of ground beef, chicken, bone-in Cornish hen, or beef tenderloin served simply with grilled tomato, Sangak, grilled onion and a sprig of fragrant basil.
Nine times out of 10, I opt for a platter of some description and won’t hesitate to order falafel, that chickpea flour dumpling that features in countless cuisines of the world and makes a mean meal when topped with garlicky accouterments.
Priced at $7.99, the falafel platter is probably the best value for your money. Yummy’s version of falafel avoids the frequent trappings of bitterness and heaviness; here the dumplings are light, fluffy and rich in flavour, ideal to absorb the numerous sauces applied liberally upon presentation.
Still, it is the chicken donair platter that holds a special place on my palate and keeps me returning time and again. I estimate that a full six ounces of shaved, succulent, grilled chicken accompanies every donair platter.
The chicken is shaved from a big spinning skewer that effectively barbecues the meat at a slow and even pace. The result is a caramelized, tender incarnation of very lean chicken that marries nicely with a mountain of Persian saffron rice and salad.
For those seeking a proper kebab, I recommend the Vaziri, a duo of chicken and beef kebabs cooked to order over an open flame on menacingly large metal skewers. Grilled tomato and fresh basil provide a fresh Mediterranean flavour accent to a proven late-night favourite.
No dish on Yummy’s menu exceeds $10.99 and Sunday specials typically shave a couple of dollars off the regular menu price of featured items.
Yummy Donair Kebab is located at 942 West 16th St. in North Vancouver. Phone 604-986-6932.
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. Contact: [email protected].
