Ava Food - Persian Grocery Store and my 3rd kinda kebab on my kebab terror! (@ sheppard & willowdale ?)

Ava Food

193 Sheppard Avenue East

647-347-7065

This place must be newer, cause i just googled it and nothing came up, and the google maps shows something else. But this is on my way home, and on my way home, i see this big giant posters of... KEBAB, which basically means i gotta go.

It's a persian market and i'm not familiar with persian markets and food except i like eating prepared stuff.

you can buy bulk raisins and nuts and crystalized rock candy, in bulk and packaged on a stick, which is supercool cause i only ever see them in science gift shops and overpriced candy shops, but you can buy a box for like 4-5 bucks.

whoa check out how huge these flat breads are!

very delicious looking sweets section

part of their deli section

part of their cooked foods section

and the reason why i was even there, the kebabs.  I got #9, which was the veal kebab and the ground beef, i guess koobideh everywhere else.  It's a dollar more expensive than Taftan (though give the biggest portions so far), and 2 more than Tah Deeg, @ yonge and finch. 

So this was my kebab, it was super delicious, and i also love take out containers in sturdy plastic, but kinda felt a lil gypped, as i think this is the smallest portioned one.  However, delicious as ever.

you get a choice of side salad or pop.

Here's a shot of the Sumac that i forgot to put @ Tah Deeg, remember, sumac is that lemony sour crunchy spicy thing.  Its actually really really good.  At Taftan, there's a bunch of sauces you can put on, and it's more like a lemony liquid, so i guess this is the powdered flavour version of it?  Who knows, but its really good.

Anyway, this is another kebab run! I am addicted for sure!

Tah Deeg (Khorak Sara) @ Yonge and Finch, another Kebab on my kebab quest!

TAH Deeg

5525 Yonge St. South of Finch on Yonge

416-225-1688

416-562-0138

one of the flyers they have, not actual menu

So, i have only recently discovered the AWESOMENESS (and apparently healthiness), of kebabs!

The first stop i made was at Taftan Kebab and i was in love... i had it like 3 times in a week.  It was threatening thundershowers and i still flip flopped over...and it totally did thundershower...

I've been doing this Sheppard to Finch walk back on Yonge for awhile now, one weekend i was peering into the window and checking out the menu, and was like, ok, i'll come check out out some time, when the owner chased after us (ok walked briskly behind us to get something at the korean store next door) was like hey! dont you like ********* food? i cant remember what he said. And i was like, oh YESSS!!!! i'll come back! i promise! and i did.

here's the inside of it, its pretty small, its like a small persian grocery mart.

here's the chef griller grilling away, he took off his glasses for my shot. hehe.

The owner came over and was like, here's a free appy, on the house!  It's a yogurt with shallots he says. thick thick yogurt with salty bits, was interesting. gonna save this to sauce my meats!

He also gave me this Sumac powder, i'm not too familiar with it, he said to put it on the meat.  I looked it up, its a greek/middle eastern spice, used as a rub on meats, and has a sour lemon taste. oh! also its like bright red and really crunchy. i totally forgot to use it after taking this picture.

So here it is. I got the number 4. which... i forgot what it was, but consisted of barb beef, and koobideh, which is a ground beef kebab. there were also these yellow rice cakes, he said usually they make it with chicken but today, it was rice and egg and saffron.  Also! i finally found out what the butter was for.... you pour it on everything.  kind of an no brainer if i actually think about it.

At $11.99, this portion was smaller than the $12.99 at Taftan, where  you get a larger piece of meat.  But the koobideh was super moist and juicy and flavourful.  You also get a salad at Taftan which i missed, but instead you get these rice cakes here.  Ever since i got horrible service at Utopia Cafe last week (update soon!), i have been all about good service, like the exceptional service we got at Sassafraz in Yorkville this weekend.  The owner was SUPER NICE, super friendly, and really happy that i was trying his food out, brought me stuff to try. He was like, how did you find out about kebab!?!  Even the guy who was dining in earlier, him and the chef was like, how is your food? are you liking it? and he gave a thumbs up and they were like giddy schoolgirls.  It's stuff like that that's cool, when people are just happy to make food for people to enjoy. When we went to pay, the pop was gratis, a special he says.

The portions may be smaller. but the heart of a restaurant is the ppl behind it, and their hearts are huge!!! Such nice people. 

There he is! the owner standing behind the til! Go give him a visit! Tell him you found out about it on some girl's blog who came and took pictures.  maybe he'll give you a free pop! haha.

Taftan Kebab aka Fresh and Healthy Food Low Calorie! (@ 9625 Yonge St.)

Taftan Kebab
5372 Yonge Street
(south of finch)
Tel: 416-224-5985
Cell: 416-569-9992
(NOTE the info on the website directs you to another Taftan not in the Yonge/Finch area but more like Richmond Hill... a mistake that i made and ordered at Richmond Hill when i walked my ass 2 subway stops to get my take out and it wasnt there!!!!)

Wow. so i've been living in the area for around 3 years now, first at yonge and finch, and now yonge and sheppard, and i've made my trek to and from both ends many times, and Taftan Kebab AKA Fresh and Healthy Food Low Calorie! (that's what i thought the name of the restaurant was!!!! the Fresh and Healthy sign is SOOOO much bigger),

smak dab in the middle.  Every time i pass it, on the street or even across the street, there is an undeniable aroma of grilled meat on hot coals. It always reminds me of PNE (or any international fair i guess, where ppl are mass grilling meats, i dont know why, i guess it could be any BBQ but it specially reminds me of PNE).  I've always wanted to try this place, and i don't know why it took me so long, but yesterday i made it in. and man... it was AWESOME. 

I cant remember what combo i chose, but it was Beef Steak kebab, and Koobideh, which i asked, is a ground beef kebab, kinda like a hallow sausage? i guess, of ground meat.  The steak was amazing, juicy and tender, and made for you on the spot (unlike my lunch time experience at a stupid Taste of Mediterranean that wasn't even worth the mention here on my blog, where the meat was dry like shoe, ugh nothing redeeming about that place at all) But this place, is super busy all the time, so you know it's fresh.

Anyway this place was great. it's a shame it took me so long to check it out, they have tonnes of stuff on their menu i wanna check out.. Even though i'm not a lamb person, it's something i wanna check out cause i know they'll do it well. (plus, wanna try their quail kebabs!)... If you're in the area, check this place out! They have a small lil patio in the front for a great Spring/Summer dusty yonge street fest! Kinda like you were at a real fair!