3/9/2010

our favorite toronto falafel.  hands down.

get its spicy, and if you're super hungry get the falafel combo sandwich which comes with fried eggplant and cauliflower. the pickled turnip gives it a great crunch, the tahini a bit of tang, fresh tomato and lettuce crisps it up and the garlic sauce, hummus tops it all off.

i won't lie, i have never had any of the shawarmas but i can only imagine they are just as amazing.

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4/8/2010

I tried this place after the reviews, and I was like eh. i had better.

the meat was a salty, and there wasn't anything special.

I have been having Ali Baba near Dundas square, which imo is pretty good. in our trip to TO, shwarma was a great snack for us, and we really enjoyed them.

i like the other place instead of Sarah's for a few reasons:
1. Sarah's already has the meat cut up and is just stored on those containers. the meat is not grilled one more time upon ordering. AB place slices the meat and puts it in the grill one more time.
2. sarah's grills the schwarma inside the foil paper. i like to get my grill marks on my sandwich, and get it a bit crispier.

this is just imo. i m pretty sure there are other good places, but wasn't to impressed with Sarah.
I didn't try Ghazelle, which is very close to Sarahs, but at least Ghazelle's smelled good from outside.

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2/23/2010

A favourite spot amongst the U of T crowd, Sarah's offers a respectable selection of fine middle eastern favourites.

On the menu perched up at top of the wall (a la fast food style), you will find the ubiquitous chicken / beef shawarmas, falafels, hummus, baba ganoush and tabouli.  You will also find some less popular items such as dolmas.  

What sets Sarah's apart from the competition is their consistent delivery of quality ingredients.  You will never find a chunk of fat in middle of your shawarma sandwich.  It is always well seasoned, lean and nicely caramelized.  Even the veggie garnish that go into the pita sandwiches are well prepared; tasty beat pickles, fresh parsley and potent hot sauce.

Their vegetarian options are also worth mentioning.  Falafel balls are golden crunchy, hummus is top knotch and baba ganoush might be some of the best I  that have ever had; very smoky flavour and creamy texture.

The restaurant even scores high on the value department, since you can roll out of here under ten dollars (or maybe even under 5, depending on what your flava flavs are).

The low points: dingy atmosphere.. mysterious basement washroom that is not exemplary (par for the course in Annex?).. and near impossible street parking.  The Nazi enforc...errr.. I meant the Parking Enforcement are out on full force in this area all times of the day.

Going off topic slightly, I once received a parking violation ticket even though the parking stub dispenser was dead (I was informed by the kind officer that I should have crossed the street to get one).  So sneaky me, here is a tip for Yelpers:  Park down a block at the Kinko's .  Then walk into Kinko's rear entrance, and exit through the front entrance leading to Bloor.  That way if there is anyone watching, you appear to be a shopper.  :)

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2/9/2010

There's no shortage of places to get your falafel and shawarma fix along Bloor between Bathurst and Spadina. As any self-respecting U of T student will tell you, Sarah's falafels are among the best along this strip of Bloor. When compared to the broader spectrum of Toronto falafels, however, they're no more than average.

Falafel balls are okay considering they're not made fresh, quantity and variety of toppings is pretty good, and the hot sauce is tasty. The space is nice for a falafel joint and there's a good number of seats for eating in.

Overall a decent falafel if you're in the neighbourhood, but not worth going out of your way.

Listed in: Peace in the Middle East

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11/30/2009 2 Check-ins Here

This place is a true Annex Staple.  When I lived at Bloor and Walmer I'd eat here probably 3 or 4 times a week, and I regret nothing.  My favourite thing to get was a Falafel on whole wheat pita, with an order of grape leaves on the side.  They make their own hot sauce (as you will know from reading other reviews) and it's really quite good.  They're also not stingy with the pickled beets, which although borderline intolerable on their own are surprisingly good on a Falafel or Shawarma.  
I took a star off because their lentil soup isn't the greatest, and their bathrooms leave a little to be desired.  If you need a quick Falafel or Shawarma and are willing to get take out, however, this is the place for you.  They're also SUPER friendly.

Listed in: Not meat and potatoes, CHEAP

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4/25/2010

I'm revising my review to 2 stars. This place just isn't good anymore. The meat is really dry. they raised their prices. They're just coasting. At one time they had a really flavourful and spicy shawarma that was really distinctive. But that was years ago. Now it's just bland. too bad. I'de go to Laila in the neighbourhood if I was willing to wait 25 minutes to get a freakin' falafel.

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4/12/2010

One of my co-workers likes to go here about once a week and he always gets the chicken shawarma wrap.  I always get the chicken shawarma plate (well once beef, but I switched back to chicken).  The plate comes with three salad sides, hummus, a pita, and hot sauce (optional).  It's a BIG meal and it's quite delicious and almost healthy (depending on which salads you get).  Sarah's also has a notably wide and eclectic mix of beverages despite it's size and I'm still not finished exploring the options.  The decor is cheap but still interesting.  The prices aren't particular cheap though.  My shawarma plate + drink is around $13, though that might be the most expensive thing on the menu and it's more food than most eat for lunch.

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9/11/2009

Chicken liver.  Seriously.  I go to a Syrian shawarma/falafel joint to have what is probably Toronto's best chicken liver (probably Toronto's only chicken liver pita sandwich).

I used to just go here for the falafel.  Occasionally wandered over to the veggie plate.  Tried the shawarma a couple of times.  enh.  And then one day they actually had the chicken liver, and I ordered it and it was perfect.  Tender, not hard, tasty with all of the regular pita sandwich toppings.

Whenever they have the chicken liver I order it.  When they don't have it, I'm very sad.

If the place was just a bit cleaner, I'd be going for the full five stars here.

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6/7/2009

I actually am really not a fan of this place.  I don't get the hype- the meat and the falafels are not fresh and I find everything a bit dry and they compensate by bathing it in a lot of grease which just equates to overly dry meat coated with nasty oil.

every other place I see them cut the meat right off the spit and fry the falafels right in front of you when you order,

this place gets two big thumbs down from me.
I almost feel like I should say sorry for the bad review since so many people seem to be taken with sarah's

Listed in: You are severely overrated.…

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5/17/2009

Shawarma joints are a lot like convenience stores, they're scattered all over the city, they all offer the same goods and you generally know what you're going for before you even get there.  Sarah's however is a bit different.  

For starters, this is the one and only Syrian joint i've ever been to.  They're hot sauce is not Frank's nor is it Siracha, its Sarah's and its spectacular...full of flavour yet powerful enough to pack a wallop that will have you in tears in no time!  

This place has a hot table full of all sorts of great middle eastern foods but the staples (shawarmas and falafels) are what i go for.  While the shawarma here is the best you can find downtown...the falafel is what i really crave when i think of this place!  Like Josh said, the Falafel combo sandwhich comes with all the fixins (fried eggplant, potato and cauliflower + falafel)...together with their one of kind hot sauce, the fresh out of the frier falafels are to die for!!!  Finally, when you price these bad boys at 2 for $6...you cant help but keep coming back for more!  

By far, this is my favorate spot in the Annex!  Its definitely not the prettiest restaurant in the Annex...but you can feel the love that goes into the food in EVERY bite!  If you havent already been...take you taste buds for a treat n say hello to Sarah's for me!  

side note: For all you mussies...this place is as halal as they come!

As-Salmu `Alaykum (Peace be upon you)

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11/14/2008

I love the shawarma at Sarah's.  I'm partial to the beef, which is nicely marinated and just plain tasty.  What I especially love about Sarah's shawarma is the fact that they're served toasted.  After they wrap up the sandwich, they press it down on a toaster--not dissimilar to a panini grill--and results in a pita that's just nicely crusted and warm.

It's a rare day when I walk by the Annex and not stop at Sarah's.  I've never met the Sarah of Sarah's Shawarma.  But, I'm in love with her and I never ever cheat on her.

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1/15/2009 1 Check-in Here

One of my favourite Falafel spots in Toronto.  The Falafel Combo sandwich is not to be missed (fried eggplant, cauliflower + falafel).

Usually its pretty clean and there is lots of seating.  The ingredients are fresh and they offer both whole wheat and white pita as a choice.

Pricing is reasonable and they have a good drink selection.  Definitely my choice out of a number of middle-eastern take out spots along the strip between Bathurst and Spadina on Bloor.

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7/3/2009 5 photos

dear sarah's,

your spicy beef kebab was delicious! you were like a little spicy party in my mouth! not only did you fill our bellies with your shawarma goodness, you were easy on the pocketbook as well! your workers were friendly and nice and your establishment was nice and clean! i couldn't have asked for more. :)

love,
dreamsrey

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11/9/2008

Not a bad place, the shawarmas are tasty and come in two sizes: regular and large. The price difference is just a few dollars, and the spiciness of them is great. Your mouth will be tingly and you'll need to buy a few drinks.

I think they also serve the dessert baklava here too, though I've never tried it.

Listed in: Top Restaurants

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6/7/2009

I really like Sarah's.  It's just so flavourful.  I've only had the falafel (not eating meat really limits my options) but it's pretty darn good stuff.

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10/25/2009

I always go there. The best Falafel in Toronto.

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