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Paramount Fine Foods
Category: Restaurants Middle Eastern Middle Eastern [Edit]
253 Yonge StToronto, ON M7A 2H1
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(416) 366-3600
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
50 reviews for Paramount Fine Foods
Review Highlights
-
"And their pitas are made fresh." In 9 reviews -
"The freshly grilled meats were good as well as the hummus." In 12 reviews -
"I have tried the beef shawarma, tabouleh, humus, kibbeh..." In 3 reviews
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50 reviews in English
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Review from J N.
North York, ON
5/21/2012
I ate dinner here at off peak hours, so I can't comment on the bad service that some of the previous experienced. Being located right across from Eaton Centre, I was expecting expensive and less than authentic middle eastern cuisine.
As ridiculous as this sounds, in general, I equate the authenticity of a place with the level of decor, location, staff and patrons. When eating ethnic, I tend of like places that have: less flash (I try not to pay for nice ambiance), non-tourist location (a restaurant that people make the trek to, not a place that just happens to be there), authentic staff (the worse the english, the better the food) and authentic patrons (i like to be the only patron who is non-*insert ethnicity* in the restaurant).
This place was almost the complete opposite of where I would typically eat. I was pleasantly surprised though.
The food was very tasty (ordered the shwarma plates) and the free pita bread was baked in front of our eyes. For a interesting seating area, sit at the back of the restaurant, right beside the window to the kitchen. From these seats, you can watch them prepare the pita bread. The decor is nice and clean. The staff was attentive with perfect english, the patrons were a mixed bag of different ethnicity.
The prices are also exceptional value. -
Review from Brad K.
Scarborough, ON
5/9/2012
Fantastic food, horrible service.
Next time we will order take out.
I would not criticize the service if the staff was overwhelmed, but while we were ignore for 20 minutes, there were 2 servers chatting at the front of the store, and another 2 at the back.
Not only was it impossible to order, but at the end of the meal, we gave up on waiting for the bill we had requested.
We weren't the only diners being ignored, many around us walked to the cash register with no bill either.
We were hoping the food would be bad so we could just hate the place, but the food was really good, generous portions, and very fresh.
Next time it will be strictly take out. -
Review from Dale D.
Mississauga, ON
3/25/2012
An authentic Middle Eastern venue in the heart of Toronto. Step past the front door into another world of wonderful aromas, loud kitchen staff and chatty customers. There was a 10 minute wait in Friday night for a party of 7. This is the perfect amount of time to check out all the plates on the tables and food passing by. After 10 minutes you will not need a menu.
The live (charcoal?) grill is piled deep with skewers of lamb, chicken and beef keftas. The bakery at the back of the house produces an endless stream of freshly baked pita.
The menu is geared to groups and large families with plenty of platters for sharing. try a couple of dips (hummus/mutabol) and pizza's for sharing and then move on to the meat!
Everything is served piping hot, fresh and authentic. Expect lots of hustle and bustle, including small children, wait staff carrying platters of food, and a noisy kitchen...very real. This is not a venue for a first date, but that should be apparent when you walk in the door. There is also a second floor which is quiter, but then again what is the point?!
Great atmosphere, great food and excellent value. -
Review from Tiffany S.
4/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm torn. On one hand, I was finally able to eat my beloved cheesebread again (aka manakeesh) for the first time in something like 6 years and it wasn't a complete letdown - on the other hand, I had to wait a good 20-30 minutes to get a simple shawarma and cheesebread. To go. What. The. H-E-double hockey sticks. Don't go during peak meal times if you're hungry. Also, the shawarma was a bit off and upset my stomach slightly.
-
Review from Samantha R.
Corbyville, ON
3/16/2012
As a shwarma and tabouli lover, I am very picky about them. Great place. Long display cabinets show you all of the lovely food that you can order.
I got a chicken shwarma with nothing picked at all, lettuce, garlic sauce, hummus, tahini, onions. Also a side of tabouli. I asked that my chicken be extra crispy. It wasn't.
The tabouli was FABULOUS. They sure know how to do it right. If anything, I wish the portion was bigger. Also, they had to take the tabouli from the side order that I had out to put on my shwarma sandwich.
The baklava was great as well. -
Review from Sergey S.
12/20/2011
Excellent food, uncivilized environment.
Huge portions, very decent quality and huge diversity of food - as I was told by locals, one of the most authentic in Toronto.
Yet, I've noticed a number of times that male waiters ignore or bully female customers. It looks rude and completely disgusting.
Besides, sitting right in the centre of the city, Paramount is inevitably crowded. I won't mind visiting it again for the food, but I feel deeply incompatible with the atmosphere. -
Review from Chin P.
Toronto, ON
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Eaten here for lunch and dinner on a few occasions and even got them catered for a work lunch at the office. Probably the best thing in the Yonge-dundas area other than Kenzo.
Best things in Paramount are the pita, the falafel and the moutabbal (eggplant and tahini). Clean, fresh food with accommodating and genuine servers.
Not so great - the fries, the inconsistent grilled meat and the desserts which used to be amazing. The fries tend to be undercooked, the meat can be dry and the desserts range in freshness.
But I love the atmosphere and the service. And honestly, fresh flavorful falafels (say that 5 times fast) are pretty rare downtown so I will be back. -
Review from Mike E.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2011
Was there over a year ago, some of the most incompetent service I've ever had. Owner/manager spent our entire meal hitting on the two girls seated next to us as our waiter skipped from disaster to disaster. The bus people were WAY more qualified than this halfwit.
Unremarkable food compared to almost any Montreal Lebanese takeout place, bar the fresh pitas which are fantastic. -
Review from Thu N.
12/22/2011
Love this place!! The fresh puffy bread that greets you when you sit down is amazing. Ask for their garlic sauce, ive never had anything like it before. Make sure you're not on a date though, that garlic sure packs a punch and stays with you.
Everything we ordered was fantastic - lamb and BBQ meats and their cheese and sausage "pizza". Even when they gave me the wrong wrap, they replaced it promptly. Lunch is a little bit crowded but turnover is pretty quick.
I'd come back here! -
Review from Maddy K.
Toronto, ON
10/4/2011
Satisfaction. Guaranteed.
Great food at great prices.
It's always packed here but somehow they usually find a place for you.
Service:
It's truly a hit or miss. I don't think they have quite worked out the right combination or formula for staff in peak rush hours or otherwise. We sometimes get served right on time and sometimes have to remind them again and again and... but really, the food DOES make up for it. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Food:
They bring steaming hot breads to your table as soon as you are seated or they remember -whichever comes first. You have to poke wholes in the bread to let the steam out and yes, you will burn yourself but its good. I recommend having it with hummus - which you have to order.
Dinner plates with rice or fries are available with most of their entrees.
Shawarma plate or just the sandwich is really great but my personal favourite would be Shish Tawouk over the shawarma. Tender pieces of perfectly marinated chicken breast - perfection! And it's even better as a take away if you grill it at home before having it - they don't grill the sandwiches at the restaurant.
I have tried some of their pizzas which are good as well and make you feel less guilty than having a giant slice of thick crust oozing with cheese regular slice of pizza. They come in a few different flavours.
Another great dish is a chick pea dish on the appetizer menu which is available only on weekends. It is really delicious - a must try.
Desserts:
Try it all!
I go there on a weekly basis - its great food at great prices! -
Review from Subin U.
Toronto, ON
Totally in love with their food.
Fresh, authentic, many choices, reasonably priced.
Try their Cheese Zattar, grape leaves, hummus, fresh Kubus bread.
Also, the "Paramount Special" drink is to die for. -
Review from Robert S.
Toronto, ON
11/1/2011
Great location, awesome food & nice space!
The good: The food is excellent. So far I've had the falafel sandwich, but it was tasty, with stuffed grape leaves and kibbeh. The kibbeh was by far the stand-out appetizer and I'll be ordering it again.
The bad: Not really anything - the place tends to be very busy from what I've heard. Tables are really small and the plates are big and the baskets of complimentary pitas are even bigger. Was a bit noisy.
Wouldn't recommend it as a date place, but definitely for friendly outings. -
Review from Angela L.
8/25/2011
For how much we enjoyed our experiences at Paramount, it's surprising that we have only been there twice. I could blame it on the constant line ups, but I'd have to clarify that the food is worth the wait.
On our first visit, we had a very nice feast for four on the second floor. On the second, we picked up take out to enjoy in sunny Yonge-Dundas Square. Despite the place being packed to the brim both times, we found the service to be efficient and friendly both times.
The mixed barbecue plate was more food than one person should consume. Although we were smart enough to decide to share this, we also couldn't resist ordering an additional tomato onion pizza and creamy babaghanouj. The fresh pitas were puffed right up and served hot to the touch.
Regardless of whether you're eating in or taking out, don't miss out on the desserts sold by the pound in the back. With so many cookies, cakes, and kinds of baklava to choose from, you'll want to try some of everything. -
Review from Fern H.
9/23/2011
The Yonge/Dundas area is cluttered with chain restaurants so I always dread whenever someone wants to make plans to meet up for food in that area.
Really happy I checked out Paramount. It's a brightly lit, bustling place serving up moderately priced meals. It reminds me of the Middle Eastern version of Futures Bakery.
We ordered the Hummus with Meat ($7.99) and the BBQ Meat sandwich ($6.99). I was instantly impressed by the hot, fresh, puffed up pitas that accompanied the hummus. It was so hot that steam sizzled out when we poked a hole in it. Meat in the sandwhich was done perfectly medium with a small hint of pink in the middle and juicy throughout.
Service was good, no long waits as others had experienced.
Atmosphere is pretty loud, so not appropriate for private conversations or romantic meals but perfect to grab a quick meal in a central location. Will need to come back and try the sweets and dessert. -
Review from Maddie R.
10/13/2011
This place is strange...it is like half restaurant half food court. I had heard good things about the food and being at Young and Dundas and all...well you know how hard it is to find a good restaurant there.
Ordered: hummus and falafel plate.
Pro: good portion size and good price ($15 for two people with more than enough to share), even took some hummus and pita home. The falafals were warm, crispy and super fresh. Not at all dry. Also, our food came to us amazingly quickly.
Con: Hummus was definitely b.l.a.n.d. My friend and I agreed that it needed some salt, some lemon, some garlic-something! I make way better stuff at home. Also, the music and the ambient noise was so loud that my friend had to come sit directly beside me in order to have a conversation.
The service was very poor. Our waiter took our order and did not return-ever. We sat for over an hour with empty plates and wanting more water and finally the bill. We flagged over another server who was friendly and gave us the bill.
Ended up over tipping because we didn't want to wait for the change.
C'est la vie -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
11/9/2011 1 photo
Simple: inexpensive, fast and tasty.
Across the Yelp board this place ranks high on those qualifications. The only thing against it is, sometimes it is hard to flag down who was helping our table. All of them look like they are running to somewhere even if they don't need to. I swear, if you work here, you would lose weight in an instant with all the mealtime hustle and bustle. Forget Jenny Craig.
Large portions. Awesome, light fluffy fresh bread comes to your table. It is the best I have had. I could have eaten that all night. My friend stuck the other one in his bag to eat for later. I would have done the same but I was being nice. LOL
Caution: Do not order a cup of coffee. Most disappointing. It was very much like drinking watered down coffee. I think the next time I will have to try something from their coffee menu.
Anyway, give this place a try. You will get alot of good for a modest price. -
Review from Sharon F.
East York, ON
11/22/2011
3 Brewers used to be my go-to for dinner near Dundas Square, but it's definitely been replaced by Paramount. Last night my friend and I went before an event at Massey Hall at ~6pm. We were seated immediately and salivating even before that. The menu was more authentic than I had expected (note the inclusion of Foul, though only on weekends). I love manakeeshs/manaqishs and couldn't wait to devour some.
The selling point is definitely the complimentary fresh pitas that rise to a puff. We were only able to finish half of one, but I bet it entices people to order hummus. The hummus and tabbouleh also come in a plastic container for easy transport should you have leftovers.
Our meal consisted of the fattoush salad (think garden salad with mint, fried bread croutons and a mediterranean dressing), kishek with owarma (dried yogurt mixed with wheat, tomato, onion, topped with spiced ground meat) manakeesh, a spinach and cheese manakeesh, and 2 mango juices. The whole meal came to $25 including tax, so cheap that it made me want to order some hummus, though my stomach told me no. At the end of the meal one could pour this complimentary bitter dark hot drink from the thermos containers set up by the front, so we tried it. My friend and I couldn't put a finger on what it was (tea or coffee), so we just shrugged it off as a combination of both. Hopefully someone will dispel this mysterious drink for us. -
Review from Ksenja T.
8/29/2011
Okay, so I am a Paramount addict.
I am not ashamed to say it.
I probably come here 2-3 times a week. And how can I not?
I strictly go to the one in north york (yonge and clarke) and they just recently renovated the whole place!! It looks SO much better, less of that cafeteria feel. I truly feel at home here, and I'm not even middle eastern. The people are always nice, and they always remember your name (even my order sometimes).
The pitas are divine, they're so puffy and warm. I suggest getting the hummus or lebneh (yoghurt dip, it's not on the menu but ask them anyways.)The manakesh are really good, I usually get the cheese and chicken one.
As for mains, I usually go with the shish taouk skewers, aka chicken skewers. I could get the plate, but that's too big of a portion for me. The chicken is cooked to perfection. If you want bang for your buck get the mixed plate, you'll get a selection of meats with rice/fries. I suggest having a LAZIZA with your meal, which is an non-alcoholic apple beer, it's really refreshing. Or a capuccino, i have one everytime and it's great.
There is a great selection of desserts and cookies. The mini baklava pieces are really good! You can't have just one. -
Review from Christian P.
Toronto, ON
11/26/2011
3.5
A brand new, good and not expensive lebanon restaurant (not just another snack or sandwich take-away falafel store), including basic shawarmas but also other and more sophisticated lebanon meals. Service is fast. Place is clean. Great address (but often packed) -
Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
Restaurant: Paramount Fine Foods
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Location: Downtown Toronto
Address: 253 Yonge St
Price Range: $10-15
1: Poor
2: OK
3: Good
4: Very Good
5: Excellent
Food: 3
Service: 1
Ambiance: 1
Overall: 2
Paramount Fine Foods is in heart of Dundas Square. I've passed by this place so many times and it was busy all the time so I decided to check it out. There are seats by the front that's like outside seating. If you like people staring at you while you eat, there is always that option. They serve Appetizers, Sandwiches and Meat Plates.
There were so many different types of dessert but I had no idea what they were. If you didn't catch on yet, I am a newbie with Middle Eastern Food.
They have this Take-Out display window when you first walk into the restaurant that totally caught me off guard. I wasn't sure if we had to wait for someone to seat us or we just had to line up and get our food and sit down like a foodcourt.
Ordered: HUMMUS ($4.99) The Complimentary bread went very well with the Hummus, the hummus comes in this to-go plastic bowl so I am assuming it's easier for people to take home when you don't finish it. Which is most likely the case cause it was huge! The hummus itself had very mild flavor and wasn't too garlicky with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
Ordered: CHICKEN SHAWARMA ($10.99) This is a really big dish. It come with a giant bread on the bottom topped with grilled chicken pieces, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and this yogurt sauce. You are suppose to rip the bread into small pieces and wrap some of the rice and chicken and eat it. This was like the Beef Shawarma Sandwich but opened up. I thought it was just ok, nothing special. Chicken pieces didn't have much flavor and the pickle/tomato pieces were warm..don't know if it was suppose to be like that?
Ordered: BEEF SHAWARMA SANDWICH ($5.99) This is all the beef, lettuce, pickles and white yogurt sauce wrapped in a bread. For the price, it's a decent size and had lots of beef in it. To be honest I think it could have more seasoning (no idea what though) cause it was too bland for me.
So I feel like I can't really tell if it's good/bad Middle Eastern food because I haven't had it very often and don't know much about it. But personally, I didn't really enjoy anything from this restaurant. Maybe I am too used to Beef/Chicken Shawarma I usually pick up from small vendors that are heavily seasoned and sauced. But hey, that's what I enjoy.
Even if I really enjoyed the food, their service completely turned me off from ever visiting this restaurant in the future. Yes, it is a very busy restaurant- but mid way through my meal, I ordered a diet coke. It never comes so I ask again (different person), wait 10 more minute? nothing!! In total I think I asked about 4 times for a damn can of Diet coke and they couldn't deliver. By the time we got our bill, one of them finally tried to give us the stupid diet coke which I didn't even want anymore. AND they gave us the wrong bill which was like $60 when our original bill was $25'ish.
Summary: This is not a place to enjoy a relaxing meal, the tables are crowded and the service is slow. The atmosphere and the service is not worth the tip you have to squeeze out at the end of the meal. If you crave shawarma, I recommend you go to some smaller joint around the corner and it will taste exactly the same (maybe even better) -
Review from Michelle S.
Mississauga, ON
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here a couple days ago with my friends...let me tell you
They have the Most AMAZING Shwarmas wraps.....DELISH
I got the chicken shwarma wrap(not the dinner) and so did my friends along with a strawberry drink which is amazing, my friends got mango. i tried their drink and it was also good. We sat upstairs which is really nice.
they have quick and nice staff, had a good time. Really happy with my experience, i will definitely be coming here again soon. -
Review from Madelaine D.
Toronto, ON
4/25/2011 1 photo
Take out or eat in, this place is fantastic!
Unlike the Mississauga location this location is full service. It is set up like a market with different counters preparing the different foods. The atmosphere is very casual, as are the service and presentation of the food.
The food is fantastic.
I am far from an expert on Middle Eastern food but I can tell you everything we ordered was fresh and full of flavour. The fatteh which was big enough to feed a few people would definitely be worth writing home about and comes with steam filled pitas (YUM, see the picture!) The Makanek Sandwich and Manakeesh were great too.
We saw a pretty steady stream of people throughout our meal come in exclusively to buy sweets to take home with them. At the end of our meal we walked up to the dessert counter to take a peak and were offered a few samples. WOW. These things are heaven in your mouth! Light, flakey, sweet, buttery heaven. I completely understand the steady flow of people taking these home. We ended up buying a bunch ourselves to share with friends.
I am already dying to go back and highly recommend you check this place out.
***Tip: It gets BUSY so bring your patience*** -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
7/7/2011
Superior Restaurant now serves Middle Eastern Food! just j/k. I'm sad to see the restaurant go (a great fine dining place pre theatre) but excited to be replaced by a great addition to the Yonge strip.
Here's an example how different locations of the same restaurant don't offer the same quality. I've been a big fan of the Mississauga location. Over there, they've perfected the self serve lunch time crowd and food comes quick to your table and your bill is waiting for you at the cashier up front.
It's a whole different story here. With a table of 8, we walked in and were seated downstairs. They really need to get a ceiling fan in here, because the heat and humidity was unbearable. It would not have made a comfortable dinner. We asked if we could move upstairs and it took the girl at least 10 mins before she could go up and check. When we went to check on our own, we got reprimanded unnecessarily.
Finally, someone told us we could sit upstairs but would have to be a booth, table combination. It was a much better and fresher air up here.
Now, I'd have to give the service here a 2 star. For about 10 tables upstairs there was only one server. Not her fault, but the management. When she did show up, she was super friendly and had a great attitude - but it was hard to get her attention.
In the end, we had been at the restaurant for over 30 mins but had not ordered even though we were ready.
Things we liked:
- the hummus ($4.99 for a big bowl)
- grape leaves wrapped with tomato and rice ($5.99 for 6)
- manakesh pizzas for $2-4 (a personal sized pizza good enough for one person)
- sandwiches for $5-7 (pitas)
- big pouffy pitas that come with every meal
- great attitude from our server (when she showed up)
- immediate asking for separate bills and paying for the bill at the table with portable machine/cash
Things we did not like:
- long waits to get servers attention
- when our pita wraps arrived, the person bringing it did not have a very good system of keeping track of what's what (small rips in the paper indicated, lamb/chicken/shish taouk/shish taouk no pickles
- the pita was not as stuffed as in the Mississauga location
- although whole wheat was offered, it seemed like there was only one wheat
- i got a beef sharwma plate that comes with tahini, rice or fries, pickles - the beef was dry every though flavourful.
I would recommend coming here for take out and try their BAKLAVA. I never understood why they price it by weight ($26/kg) because it's not a good representative of what you'd get. For about $12 (half kilo) you get a medium sized portion with about 20 pieces. They are small, and perfect for the hostess gift.
Coming here for a sit down, was tiring and stressful. What I thought would be a quick dinner, turned into a 2.5 hr long ordeal. I was glad I was in good company that I didn't notice. -
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
4/24/2011
Go early or be prepared to wait!
Although the decor/ servers/ ambience may remind you of Applebees, the food is anything but the boring generic Applebees fare (sorry, no offense to Applebee Lovers).
The menu is quite extensive, the style is middle eastern food.
Almost everyone around us (including ourselves) ordered an appetizer type dip which includes two large pieces of hot - steam releasing - pieces of puffy bread. We tried the eggplant dip which had an underlying pomegranate note that was quite yummy.
The rice that accompanies the platter dishes is sooooooo yummy! The meat is also quite flavourful and tasty.
The wraps are also quite good ... my mouth is watering just thinking about it :)
Prices are beyond reasonable - $10ish for a platter, $6ish for a wrap, $5ish for an appetizer. Portions are generous.
Check it out!!!! :) -
Review from Tas H.
Toronto, ON
8/16/2011
Great for groups:
- Come for the Hummus, Baba ganuj and freshly made pita bread(bread is free)
- share a mixed grill plate with kebobs, shish touk etc
- a couple of order of Makanesh (pizza- zatar and beef with cheese are the best)
- finish off with a few bites of Bakhlava
I'd say their shawarma is a little on the dry side but decent.
Great for hostess gift: Bakhlava! so many types! For $12 you can get a box of 20.
I do wish they'd let people sit upstairs! I'm still yet to be allowed to check it out. -
Review from Raz A.
Toronto, ON
12/27/2011
Went there for dinner one night with the husband and the place was packed . They have a downstairs area and an upstairs one as well . I ordered a cheese pie and my husband the thyme pie or (man2oosheh) as we say in Arabic , as well as hummus and falafel everything was tasty and great . The ambience wasn't great I felt like I was sitting in the middle of a train station because of the amount of people coming and going but the food quality was great def will be back .
-
Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2011
Apparently there is this restaurant in Spain where they rely on Proustian effects to enhance the dining experience. For example, a balloon is brought to the table filled with the scent of oranges and is released slowly to evoke memories of growing up near the orange groves.
You could say the same thing about Paramount, but exchange citrus accents with buckets of cheap cologne. I'm not sure what they were going for here but the Axe-cented patrons and staff to the left and right of us made me feel like I was in Night at the Roxbury. But let's get to the food, shall we?
It felt like a rollercoaster of awesome highs and middling lows. The chicken shawarma was freaking amazing but the turnips and sides were sub par. The stuffed grape leaves were good but not great.
However, in a sea of Popeyes and Burger Kings, this place is pretty good for getting something moderately healthy. -
Review from Adnan K.
Toronto, ON
9/4/2011
For clarity, this is for their location in Dundas square.
Went there last night. as i had Family visiting from out of town and they wanted Mediterranean. Since i am fairly new to toronto, i had heard of this place from friends. (this place was preferred by our party of 6, since 2 were in need of Halal meat)
We took a cab there. It was busy. The whole place was uncomfortably hot. After waiting 10 minutes, we got a table was was in their main dining hall downstairs. It was too hot to sit there, so when we asked for another table, the host refused to consider our request unless we vacated that table first. (let alone allowing us to order in that table and moving us if something else was available) so we got standing again.
Finally, we were able to find a booth upstairs. The server was very friendly, considering it was past 10 pm on a saturday night and he was serving upstairs while the kitchen was downstairs. Food came fairly quickly. and was overall very good. The freshly grilled meats were good as well as the hummus. but the shawarma meat leaves a lot to be desired. (chicken and meat)
@ katerina. I have also heard that the north york location has better food.
@ Laura. This location does need to have better air/temperature management downstairs. the beef shawarma i got in my plate was stewed meat at best. -
Review from Heather S.
6/30/2011
After walking from Houstons for dinner to our hotel, we passed by this place and made it a point to try before we left Toronto. The food here is so fresh and authentic. There are so many kebabs and pizza's that you can order. I wish I had room for their desserts.
The one thing that I do like that I've noticed that a lot of the Toronto restaurants do, including this one, is that they have those mobile Credit Card machines that they walk around with, so that I means I can see my CC as they swipe it. That gives me some comfort. -
Review from A.J. S.
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
A lot of people like this place, so I decided to go and have a falafel here. I'm not impressed, its tastes stale. Maybe comparing to dearboorn is unfair, but falafel has to be made to order or it tastes like hockey puck.
-
Review from Alice T.
2/20/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Great quick bite and/or group outing destination! And here's why...
Lots of dips including Moutabbal, a smokey eggplant dip topped w pomegranate seeds, great for sharing! And their pitas are made fresh.
They also offer platters of meat off the bbq, I love eating family style.
But you don't need to go in a big group, it's also great if you're just grabbing a quick bite with a friend.
I usually stop by instead of eating at the food court when I'm shopping at the Eaton centre. Their pita sandwiches are $6-7, and they make a homemade chili sauce with chucks of peppers and onions. Yum!
I usually either get the Shish Tawouk sandwich (chicken skewers off the bbq) or the Moutabbal with a few falafels or a skewer of Shish Tawouk, always with chili sauce.
The service isn't the greatest, but the food keeps me coming back! -
Review from Irfan R.
11/4/2011
Halal meat is served here. Halal certificate is clearly displayed inside the restaurant. This location is right across the street from the Eaton Centre, which is very convenient. I tried the BBQ Meat sandwich, which was pretty good, although it could use some hot sauce on the side (I'm desi, what can I say:)). I also tried the Chicken & Veggie Manakesh which was very good and the plain Cheese Manakesh (aka "Jebneh"), which was excellent! The fresh strawberry juice was good, but a little too sweet (they put sugar in it). This place get's packed for dinner time, but the food is made fresh and tastes good. Highly recommend it.
Listed in: Top 5 Halal Restaurants in…
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Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2010
Great decor, food is fresh, service loses points. Actually, I would rate it 3.5 stars - read below.
This is a popular lunch joint, as it mixes dine-in with cafeteria styles. The lunch rush is always busy, and for dinner it's filled with people as well.
For lunch, I've tried the HUMMUS WITH CHICKEN. The hummus is very tasty, well infused flavour. There are schwarma-bits chicken on the top, which adds warmth and flavour to the hummus - great portion for lunch (a circular tinfoil, piesize portion)
I have also had the full serving of TABOULI, which is just the best thing there. Freshly diced parsley, with just the right amount of onion, lemon juice, tomatoes and whatever else they add in there.
I tried to PARAMOUNT SPECIAL - which is a delicious blend of fruit juice with puree strawberry at the bottom - topped off with shaved pistaccio, other fresh fruit - i thought this was going to be really sweet, but it was ok, wasn't too rich.
DINNER.
I also went there for dinner and we sat down, and the service wasn't great, the lady didn't speak English (which is usually fine) but she just stood there and stared at you. I got the CHICKEN and BEEF SCHWARMA DINNER - which came with shaved chicken and beef, beets, rice or fries and pickles. It was quite a sizeable meal. The pickles and the sauce that came with it, was delicious. The beets were a little old. The rice was really plain, and the beef was a bit dry. The chicken was good, I would recommend the chicken.
ASK FOR THE HOT SAUCE - it wasn't too spicy but the blend in herbs and flavors and whatever chunks of something in there made it a very gourmet hot sauce!! -
Review from Howard H.
5/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Paramount is one of the more authentic purveyors of Gulf States style Middle Eastern food; essentially; this place is just like going to a large family restaurant in Dubai! Especially on Friday night, because as in Dubai the place is packed with Saudis on their way to party.
This is the full service version of this four location local chain and that is a term which I use very loosely. The servers are pleasant enough and seem to want to meet the needs of their customers - but the operational landmines in this establishment are not about to allow ANY quality customer service to sneak past.
Candidly - this is the worst of the Paramount establishments. The one in Mississauga is superb and the one in Thornhill is rated the best by my friends who call this type of food "home cooking". Still, for the quality of the baked goods alone it represents a welcome addition to the downtown culinary scene. -
Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2010
Some decent Lebanese, though not exactly the best I've ever had. I had a zatar with labanee and the lamb sandwich. The flat bread was admittedly awesome and fresh -- straight from their wood oven. The labanee was respectable, the lamb was meh... quality-wise not quantity.
What this place does have going for it is that it's across from the Eaton Centre and it's a great alternative to the food court. It also has rows of ready-made salads for pick-up and it's kind of a cafeteria meets table service environment. The bread is great, lots of selection, lots of vegetarian options, really clean and attentive staff. ALSO the baklawa was superb and fresh.
I'd go back if i was nearby but probably wouldn't think of it first next time I have a craving for pickled turnips.Listed in: The Best Middle Eastern
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Review from Johnny L.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011
This is my new lunch spot. Since they opened a few months ago, I have tried every sandwich on the menu. My favourites are the lamb and chicken schwarmas. The lamb is tender and smoky from the grill. The chicken is moist and, hopefully, has some crispy bits thrown in. Any of the manakeesh from the giant wood burning oven in the back are awesome. And it's all cheap, cheap, cheap. You can easily get out of here for less than a tenner for lunch.
The only low point here is the service. Both takeout and eat-in service is atrocious. For takeout, they make you wait in the main runway for servers, so you're constantly dancing around to let them pass. However, even the bad service won't make me stop coming here. -
Review from Supriya A.
North York, ON
3/7/2011
Hailing from Arabian sands and now residing in Toronto, I was itching for some tasty Middle Eastern food, and that's exactly what I got! I had some errands to run near Dundas Square and so went to Paramount on my own. The staff was exceptionally friendly, sweet and courteous!
I had limited time and just wanted a quick bite. I just had a kafta wrap and was very satisfied. No doubt I'll be returning back for more..like some of the platters - Arayees and Shish Tawook particularly caught my eye.
Being the sweet tooth that I am, I couldn't leave without dessert, so I had a piece of Osmalieh- simply divine. A cake like dessert with a creamy dough inside and topped with a crispy texture with a whimsical blob of cream...YUM! I could even sense the other underlying flavours, subtle hints of chopped pistachio and rosewater (I think).
Friendly staff+Delicious food= I'd be crazy not to go back for more:) -
Review from Lupillo R.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2011
I love Paramount. It's the best Middle Eastern food I've had in Toronto and it's a great option near the Eaton Centre. The fact that I always hear more Arabic than English being spoken at the tables around me lends even more credibility.
The pitas come fresh from their wood burning oven as do the zatars. The chicken shawarma is amazing, the hummus fresh, the soup is great too. Every time I go I try something new and so far I've been very happy. The only thing I didn't particularly care for was the labneh but I was never a big labneh fan to begin with.
The decor is cool, it seems to be in an old stone house with a pointed roof which you would never guess from the outside.
The only drawback, and it's a big one if you're in a hurry, it Paramount's popularity. It's always packed and you can expect at least a 30min wait for a table if you go right at lunchtime. The poor servers, while they do their best, are running around like crazy trying to keep up with the demand.
I've been many times, and will continue to go anytime I'm in the neighbourhood. -
Review from Jijesh D.
Toronto, ON
10/26/2011
After expecting to meet my friend at a regular greasy spoon falafel joint my experience at the Yonge & Dundas Paramount was excellent.
The ambiance was a perfect mix of Toronto and the Middle East. Exposed brick and modern fixtures were perfectly juxtaposed with the huge trays of baklava and kaak kinafe on traditional brass stands.
We shared a mediocre fattoush salad and each got a Manakeesh (pizza) which were $3.99 each and 10". The accawi cheese with zaatar (fried thyme and sesame) Manakeesh was really delicious. Spinach with cheese was so-so and had an odd sour note.
What really made the meal knock my socks off was the HOT SAUSE! YUM! They make it in their own facility (where their Mississauga location is). It has onions and tomato, black and red pepper. ASK for this. This sauce makes everything taste outstanding- especially the complimentary piping hot pita.
With a tiny taste of Baklava "on the house" I am already looking forward to my next visit - on the weekend so I can try the weekends-only appetizers, at an off time to avoid the inevitable crowds. -
Review from Ms. J.
Toronto, ON
8/10/2011
Paramount restaurant on Yonge Street, south of Dundas = really bad Middle Eastern food. This is supposed to be a Lebanese operation, but their food is sloppy, overcooked, and overpriced. Had the lamb takeout with fries. The lamb was flavorless and tough, and the pickled stuff they usually include with Middle Eastern dishes was rancid! So for overcooked lamb, sub-par fries, and rancid sides, it cost me $15.99 + tax. Never again!
