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Shomal North
Category: Restaurants Persian/Iranian Persian/Iranian [Edit]
100 Steeles Ave WUnit 27
Thornhill, ON L4J 7Y1
(905) 881-7704
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
19 reviews for Shomal North
19 reviews in English
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Review from Behrouz M.
Toronto, ON
1/11/2012
Food: A
Service: C
Food presentation: A
Atmosphere: A
Prices: B+
Recommended?: Yes
Shomal means "north" in Farsi. Persians also call the northern part of the country 'Shomal'. The restaurant is neatly decorated to resemble the village of northern Iran and in that it is successful. The food is the typical food served in most Persian restaurants. And I would recommend the eggplant dish for appetizer and either of the ground beef or chicken kabobs as the main. I have been to Shomal on numerous occasion and the Kabobs are consistently delicious and very moist. Shomal is also consistent in having mediocre service. So don't be surprised if you're waiting for up to 20-30 min for service or even to get your bill at the end. Bottom line, if you're into food and willing to overlook the not so great service, then you'll love this place. -
Review from Rita M.
Toronto, ON
10/21/2011
This was my first experience with Persian food, and I must say, I'm a fan. I'd recommend the dill rice, and the lamb shank. It was really tender, and everything tasted down right good. I just sort of wasn't that into the service, and I found the prices... strange?
Let's say for instance, one asks if they make mixed drinks and cocktails, and one is told that yes, they do make cocktails, so one orders a vodka and cranberry. The bill arrives and you have been charged for one shot of vodka, and one glass of juice. Also, remember that salad you asked for instead of the expensive rice mixture that comes with kebabs? Well, each one of those is an additional three dollars, even though you substituted it and did not get the rice at all. You just kind of end up feeling nickel and dimed. So Shomal North gets three stars, but Persian cuisine gets five!!! -
Review from Parmis A.
1/17/2012
Perfect Food...friendly staff...
Just Awesome...my recommendations: Kabab with Pom & walnut (Kabab torsh)
so heavenly! had food there every time visited Toronto... -
Review from Dawn A.
5/31/2011
The ambience at Shamal is nice. It was quite busy and rather loud, which was expected on Saturday evening.
We enjoyed the Kashkeh Bademjan with Noon, Kabob, and Fesenjan. Tasty and Filling! -
Review from Alice T.
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
If I could give a 3.5 that would probably be most accurate.
The food was good & made with care, the location had an interesting decor inspired by a famous town in Iran where the buildings are stacked a long the hillsides. The server we had was very nice and accommodated our party of 10 with separate cheques and brought us samples of their dessert when we jokingly asked for samples. And I think as we were leaving there was live music.
I think this place tries to be true to Persian food, and was recommended by a friend from Iran as being very authentic. He tells me the head chef is the 70 yr old mother of the restaurant owner.
I ordered the kalkabab as a starter; eggplant, walnut, pomegranate paste, garlic, herbs & spices. It was a delicious dip to go with the flat bread they provided. The flat bread was amazing, really well made in a charcoal oven I imagine from the smoky flavour on the bread.
My main was the chicken breast (I believe that was what it was actually called on the menu). Seasoned chicken, grilled, with a side of rice and roasted tomato.
The chicken was tasty and tender but definitely better with the kalkabab then on it's own. The rice was perfectly cooked and there was a lot of it but not much to it, and the roasted tomato was a whole roasted tomato, uncut, uncored.
They also brought out a plate of sliced radishes, quartered onions, parsley and mint which I wasn't sure what we were supposed to eat it with. Maybe if the onions were sliced it'd be more appealing but a quarter of a raw onion in the company of 10 didn't seem like a good idea.
Overall impression of this place is that it's a family owned restaurant. The food is good but a bit unrefined and would probably be a step up from a well-prepared home dinner in Iran which in itself is a nice experience. Not many home-cooked meals these days. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
9/2/2010 10 photos
Stepping inside Shomal North on a Sunny afternoon feels like bring me to another world... World which is dark..cool... and full of men (waiters)
I have to agreed with John F., the interior decorate does remind me of an Italian Village I been too.. now think about it.. I know exactly where it is!! The interior of Frankie Tomatoes!! The little storefronts, the fake painting of the cliffside on the far wall, the little X'mas lights decorating the trees....
I don't have a lot of experience with Persian food, ok make that once!... I can only compare to Pomegranate Restaurant (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) which I just love!!
Raw onion, parsley and radish were brought to the table even before ordering. We were told that we suppose to eat them with our food. But what food are we going to eat?? BTW, their wine list are 3 pages long... more than their food choices!!
I found the stews are really not as delicious and taste not as good Pomegranate. The chicken here was so over stewed that it does not taste like chicken anymore. The lamb is ok... I have better... But I like how they match the different rice with the chicken and lamb.
I found the services here is cold, and the waitstaffs are quite disinterested. Maybe it is how an authentic experience suppose to be :P.
I am not in a rush to come back here for another meal.......
2.5 starsListed in: Persian's Experience in GTA!
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
9/2/2010
Decided to give this place a GO simply because I like my prior Persian food experiences. Secondly, we were nearby this area doing a food crawl of sorts. Third, the reviews here have been fantastic. Good enough to give this place my time it seems...
The ATMOSPHERE here is great, my compliments to the Designer as we met with the ALL Male staff dressed to impress and directed us to the corner to seat with one side cushioned bench while the other is wooden chairs.
We came here to get a LUNCH experience as we looked at the Menu where half of it was White/Red Wine and other Alcohol Beverages. Not feeling for Kebabs as we already had some at a restaurant beforehand, we went for Baghali Polo & Mahicheh: A traditional Lamb Shank Stew would be served with Fava Bean and Dell Rice($13.99) and Fesenjan: Stew of Chicken Breast, Pomegranate Paste, Walnut & Spices ($12.99)
We were served a plate of Raw Onions, Italian Parsley and Radishes which we didn't know what to do so I asked a waiter and this waiter looked at me like I was an Alien. I LOVED the look on his face, AWESOME! I should have taken a photo.
BTW, the guy that seems to look like the Manager didn't have any smiling intentions at all but amazingly had a smile as patrons left and even greeted us goodbye. Don't get me wrong, I like these guys but I guess I'm not used to those SERIOUS faces Al Capone style.
Served with a MOUNTAIN of rice which was pretty tasty while the Lamb dish was tender and good but the disappointment was the Stewed Chicken Breast. Wow, was it ever stewed to the point where it was beyond mushy and bland while the Pomegranate/Walnut concoction did nothing to recover it. The sauce wasn't PRETTY to say the least but I'm the least likely have an appetite disorder from nasty looking food.
Maybe it's my fault for ordering this dish or maybe it's their fault for putting it on the menu. Whatever! My comparison is mostly from Pomegranate Restaurant downtown which has more aspects on the plate for the same price structure. 2.5 *Stars* until next time we meet Shomal North!Listed in: 2.5 **Stars**, Middle East Scoops, Fire'd, I-ran for Persian Cuisine
-
Review from Nina S.
Richmond Hill, ON
8/8/2010 3 photos
Its always a delight for us to dine here especially with a group. Craving or feeling adventurous for Persian food, we've brought family, friends and off-shore co-workers to this place and every time it's a big hit. How so? The great food, the warm and earthly ambiance, and interior architecture that allow us to virtually leap from arctic Toronto to sultry Iran (visually). Quite a fieldtrip. If only we could be Jumpers. Remember that movie back in 2008? There is a wow factor to this place. I don't use this word on a loosey-goosey manner but its impressive. Its perfect for a romantic date, family dinner or lunch, corporate dining, etc. The interior architecture provides nice nooks if you want some amount of hush-hush or privacy. It's folksy with a nice balance of exotic (perhaps for us Non-Iranians) elegance.
So what about the food? Nothing too fancy to tickle your senses. But something so authentic perhaps that the simplicity is enough to fill your soul. Feel free to fill me up with the right single word for this. Anyway, you will see and taste a lot of yogurt, pomegranate, dried berries, walnuts, spices - not the hot chilies but something garlic and onion based with some hints of this and that herbs (Ahh, ignorance is bliss! Haha!), and some olives too.
The eggplants, it's the motherload of all their Appetizer and it does a great job to keep us seated and enjoy the relatively long wait for the main dishes. The refillable Nan bread always come fresh and warm from the oven. Butter would be unnecessary - as hearty as it can get. I enjoy watching the bakers hand tossing the dough at the side near the kitchen, they're always gorgeous! Like Italians are tall, dark and handsome and hairy. Are they? :D
Let me give you our faves and try it out for taste, if it doesn't get you sucked in.
APPETIZER (our usuals): Kalkabab - mashed eggplant with walnuts, pomegranate paste, some garlic, herbs & spices; Badenjan Kabab - fried eggplant stuffed with walnuts, pomegranate paste, onions; or this one, Borani spinach - sautéed spinach and yogurt, and flavored with garlic and some herb. I really dunno what that herb is but its beginning to grow in me.
MAIN DISH: I hafta warn you, the appetizer may seem a petite dish for a minute there. Wait until you see the platter of a main dish that is coming up your way. Yeah, one platter one person. And I mean, the oval and almost like your Gramma's serving plate kinda thing, and its filled and heaped!
I always go for Chicken, how can I go wrong. So its Chicken Zereshk Polo which is a flavorful char-broiled breast with Basmati rice (its always white and yellow; its buttered right?) and red berries - dried cranberries I would suppose, with a slice of lemon and a whole grilled tomato on the side. This could be my last meal before an execution.
My husband usually forgets me over the Beef dishes like Sultani Kabab, char-broiled tender veal and ground beef; Kabab Torsh, char-broiled veal with pomegranate paste and walnuts, and again those spices; or Koobideh Kabab, ground beef on skewers all with Basmati, berries, lemon, and tomato - the wholesome foursome, I would call 'em.
Another interesting and sometimes wonderful dish is the Ghaimeh stew. Its actually delicious but a little too rich for me. Our off-shore friends loved it, though. Its beef with tomato, onion, and beans - stewed. I did say that, did I?
OTHER FOODS: A good-to-know - they also serve seafood and vegetarian dishes, but we haven't tried any of those. Except for Rainbow Trout. The fillet was better tasting pan-fried than bbq'd, but that's our taste buds. But, heck, go for the meat stuff!
One unique and probably their very own is the Yogurt Soda. After one time, I never ordered it again. Its too weird for me. Its acquired taste, definitely. Perhaps in time. Desserts? We simply don't have enough room for one though you can ask for the menu for it.
SERVICE: Its nice and friendly, and the server frequently checks on us on how things are going or how's the food, and refills our water or Nan with quick initiative. The food may come a tad slower than you're used to but that's because its made fresh. You can taste it right off the plate. But as I said earlier, the Appetizers - its there for a good reason, and its diverting like a hostess on stilettos.
PRICE: Appetizers can get you from $5 to about less than $10. Beef dishes, if you don't go for North Special which is about $25, its $10 to 18. Chicken would be $12 to 15. The stews and vegans around $14.
I hope my review satisfies you and make you hungry enough to go get some for yourself. Its our go-to Persian or Iranian (you know Iran was called Persia in ancient times, right? Ok. That's settled) and who knows you just might enjoy it like we do... as much as always. When is the best time to go? Lunch / dinner time on the dot. It gets crowded on later hours. -
Review from Sarah M.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2010
As a Persian who has experienced Kabob in the heart of Tehran's Bazaar, I most certainly Know my kebob... Shomal has meh, ok food, it's not great, it's not bad,,, it's average... However,,, if you want to take clients, a date,,, or someone you are trying to impress,,, stay away !!! lol ...
The decor actually is quite authentic and resembles "Shomal" which means North .. Us Iranians Call the Northern part of our country, bordering the Caspian Sea, Shomal ,,,, they have decorated the reataurant to resemble the villages of the North.
The service is is not so great ! you will be waiting approx 20 minutes for the server to come and hand you the menu ! you will be waiting another 45 for your bill.... the food ... by the time it gets to you , it might be a tad cold... and believe you me ,,, a cold kabob,,, is not a good kabob,,, even if it is the best one ever to come off the skewer!!!
Try the Koobideh ,,, -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2010
Have eaten here a few times. Went with several Persian friends. Food is authentic but truthfully I have had better. Service responsive, environment is charming. The decor is unique.
Food was average. The chicken was tender. Rice firm. Salad was drenched with dressing. Special Persian yogurt shakes was unique. -
Review from John F.
North York, ON
6/13/2010
Don't go here for an intimate or romantic dinner - the crowds are boisterous and the place is very noisy.
Decor is a sort of mock village look. Seems more Italian than Persian, to the point where I wonder if it used to be an Italian restaurant. Wagon wheel chandeliers add a somewhat outre touch.
The menu is pretty typical Iranian fare - lots of kebobs, some stewed dishes and various hot and cold appetizers. We ordered two of the eggplant ones (one cold and one hot) and both were delicious. The pita to spread them on was fresh and moist and as in many Persian restaurants, came with complimentary radishes, parsley and onions.
My partner had the ground beef kebob and I had a chicken and ground been combo. Portions were large, the chicken was exceptionally tender and well-flavoured (great marinade) and both were delicious.
I would have liked to see the kebobs come with dill rice and lemons, but that is a fairly minor quibble. Prices are fair for the portion size but not cheap.
Friendly but somewhat rushed service. Expect a short wait at peak hours. -
Review from Kia N.
Richmond Hill, ON
7/30/2009
Actual restaurant name: Shomal Restaurant.
Shomal (meaning "North" in Farsi).
Atmosphere: REALLY COOL! Feels like you are dining outdoors in the northern Iran region. I was very impressed with the design. Most Persian restaurants don't spend money on interior design. Many non-Iranians dine here! Don't be afraid to step in.
Service: The staff here speak English! Food is served fairly quickly.
Food: Probably one of the better Persian restaurants in Toronto that I know of. Food is amazing! -
Review from Myrem D.
Mississauga, ON
8/19/2010
I had never heard of this place before Tuesday night, but apparently its quite popular.
Tuesday evening I was taken to this small stucco sort of place in a U shaped Plaza. Right away I noticed a big Persian crowd, mostly families.
Now, I am pretty familiar with Persian dishes so my surefire way of trying out how good the restaurant quality is, is by ordering the simplest dish (kobideh). Its a kabab style dish with rice and 2 grilled tomatoes (usually for decoration/slight flavor).
me and my girlfriend both tried the Dogh ($2.50 each) (yogurt beverage). If you haven't tried it, its absolutely , positively refreshing. Its got grounded pepper along with dried mint and the consistency is similar to medium bodied milk. Its almost always served chilled, or over ice and is paired with kabab.
I liked the consistency here but different areas of Iran and Afghanistan add cucumber bits. "North" does not. Yet, it was still pretty refreshing and yummy.
for appetizers we ordered : Borani spinach & Zeitoon Parvardeh.
The Borani ( $4.99 )is again a yogurt dish (DO NOT ORDER 2, they give a good portion of it so it can be shared by 2).
Its similar to a dip dish, brought alongside with pita. Its thick with a mixture of sautéed spinach, garlic and herbs in yogurt. Ive had better so I wasn't fully satisfied, I felt it had TOO MUCH yogurt and not enough of the garlic/spinach.
The Zeitoon Parvardeh is a bowl of marinated green olives with walnut, pomegranate paste, Mountain's herbs and spices ( $5.99 ).
Now, I'm a HUGE green olive lover...so this is DEFINITELY worth a try if you love green olives. The quantity is big enough for 2 to share but be warned, its crazyyy salty!!...so I had the pita from the yogurt borani, mixed some yogurt and added the olives...YUMMMM...
For entree : Koobideh Kabab ($10.99) & Sultani Kabab ($17.99)
the Koobideh was AMAZING..so tender and juicy. The rice was O-K.
The sultani dish is a combination of tenderloin veal & ground beef. This dish is great for meat lovers that want both the kabab as well as try something different. I tried some of the veal and it was REALLY good. The meat is definitely something to try here.
I was too stuffed to try the tea
or dessert. :(
Bill came up to $53.00.
The plus is definitely the food.
The downside is the service, the server is a tad stuck up and refused to speak to us in English, only Farsi. (which is so wrong... why would you assume we knew how to speak it?). I got the feeling, service isn't huge here. Water alone took almost half the meal to get to us , and when it did, the portion was ridiculously small.
Then when we asked for more water, they huffed ( WHAT THE?? ...SERIOUSLY?) and got us a jug of water , slamming it down on the table. As if to tell us how annoyed he is.
So all in all, don't go here expecting minimal service, just go in , eat and get out. Don't forget to pay ;)
xoxo.
M. -
Review from M. C. F.
North York, ON
7/22/2010
This is a great all-around Persian restaurant, though I'd really want to give it 3.5 stars if I could since the service is definitely not up to par.
Decor is definitely cool, making the entire place look like a village from the North of Iran. The menu is varied, and you do get a lot of kebab and stew choices with northern flair, as well as many traditionally northern Iranian appetizers.
The service is typically a bit snobby, and servers insist on speaking Farsi with everyone, which can get annoying when you don't speak Farsi. Food is usually on time, but you just don't feel the love when you're there.
There isn't much else to say about this place other than the fact that it has tasty food that can bring you back. Just know that every once in a while, the food will be a miss, with either the kebab being dry or the stews being slightly off. Then again, I've never found a Persian restaurant that nails it time and time again... maybe a business opportunity exists? -
Review from Taiyab K.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2010
I don't have much experience with Iranian cuisine, I have only been to one Iranian place prior to this (Tempus, formerly known as Darvis in downtown Toronto)...but I would still consider my review to be worth reading.
Nevertheless, this place is great! The decor is fantastic, the ambiance is very nice and soothing - although perhaps the lights could be a little less dimb, I wanted to take a detailed look at what was in the food so I could see what type of spices and herbs were in there, but it was quite difficult with the low lighting. The waiters are very friendly and are very accommodating, our waiter wondered where we were from because we did not look Iranian, we told him we were Pakistani/South-Asian and he told us he could speak our language and he spoke quite well, had a little chat about where he was from. So I would say the ambiance and service is excellent here!
In terms of the food, I would say it was great. We ordered the Barg kebob (veal tenderloin), the Chicken Breast kebob (I think it is called Jujeh?), the Koobideh (beef kebab), and a stew that I can no longer remember but it came with beef and yellow split peas with dried lemons to add a nice dimension of flavour, there were also french fries added - which gave it an interesting textural component and provided a bit of a contemporary flair on a traditional "meat and potatoes dish" (you know you watch too much Food Network when...you can put something like that together hahah). Each dish is served with rice, and a grilled tomato. They also provide a pita with butter on the side as an appetizer, along with a dish of radishes, onions and mixed greens (I recall parsley and mint). The food was just right, you could really taste the meat and the way it was cooked and marinated kept the integrity of the meat...something severely lacking in South-Asian cuisine, hence why I always go to Iranian places when eating out. Overall, the food was just great!
In terms of cost, I would say it is somewhat higher than expected for relatively simple food...when I say simple, I mean something that isn't very difficult to make or requires a lot of ingredients. It isn't that bad though once you consider the ambiance and the environment and the service.
All in all, a place worth checking no matter what if you are in the area and want to try some really good Iranian cuisine. I hear Zaffron (or Saffron) is up there as well for really good Iranian food...so perhaps you will see a review from me about this place!
Till then...stay hungry and thirsty my friends. -
Review from Bijan V.
8/12/2008
Shomal (meaning North in Farsi) is a great Iranian restaurant specializing in North Iranian cuisine.
It is a little pricey but the food you get is amazing and you will savour every last bit of it. With large portions and distinctive tastes, I take all of my friends to Shomal when I want them to try out Iranian food.
Definitely try the Mirzaghasemi (a garlic eggplant type appetizer) as well as one of the Kebabs. The Koobideh and Joojeh kebabs are absolutely amazing and I`m sure you will love it.
Also don`t forget to try out the authentic in house made doogh (which is pretty much a minty yogurt based drink - can be carbonated or not).
The atmosphere and music is very authentic and beautiful made to represent the northern regions of Iran. -
Review from Arlene M.
3/22/2010
Went here with some friends from work while I was in Markham for a business trip. I love kebabs of all kinds, and was extremely tempted to get either lamb or veal, but I decided to be a good girl and got the chicken barg kabab. Despite being the "healthy" option, it was still very tasty, I like how they don't overcook the chicken like some places do, it was still very tender and juicy.
The place is huge and the ambiance is very nice. I would probably put this on my list of go-to restaurants whenever I travel in the area. -
Review from Alan G.
London, ON
3/21/2010
The first thing I noticed when I walked into this restaurant was the stylish atmosphere - they had this outdoor feel going on. I wish I could have stayed, but I came here with my friend's dad to pick up some take out food.
We got 4 different kinds of kebab all of which ROCKED - super tasty and not at all dry. There were also a ton of hot people walking around (both servers and patrons). I don't know what they put in the water, but Persians are just a good looking bunch. I only gave it four stars because I didn't get to dine-in, but this is the only time I've given four stars at a restaurant I only spent 15min in! -
Review from Arezou K.
6/7/2011
authentic food from the northern part of iran (gilan) near caspian sea. great kabab torsh and bademjan kabab. also try the dessert (reshteh khoshkar)
