Baraka Bakery
Inspired by my recent visit to Marché Akhavan in Montreal, I decided to investigate the Peg’s Middle Eastern food possibilities. And so began my love affair with Baraka Pita Bakery. A humble outpost a long way down Main Street, Baraka Bakery is run by a Lebanese family with a commitment to quality.
The headliner at Baraka is the Za’atar Pita Pie – a pita baked fresh to order and adorned with a blend of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame seeds, salt, and sumac.
Za'atar Bread - Note the Gear Shift
Za’atar pita might not be for every prairie palate – it’s sort of like a Sourpuss Herbes de Provence Pizza, sans cheese. You’ll like it if you’re the sort of Joe who would choose cheese over cheesecake. (Given the option of eating only one…). Zolli had an incident with Baraka’s Za’atar pita – it involved driving down Main Street too slowly, indelible grease stains on her best skinny jeans, and a considerable mess in the car. Za’atar pita is not really the sort of thing you wait to get home to eat.
Also lovely are the shwarma and kabob sandwiches, made on the spot and lashed with generous amounts of tahini sauce and pickles. Tabbouleh, Lebanese stuffed grape leaves, and sweets are also sure to please.
Chicken Shwarma
Take out: I induced heartburn during my encounter with the spinach fatir, which are little pita pastries filled with zippy spinach. Beef and cheese versions are also tasty; ask what’s fresh that day. The sundried tomato hummus is a completely different animal than what you get at Safeway, but the baba ganouj is the true star of the take-out menu. With pride, the young Lebanese man who works the counter explained to me how he chars the eggplant in the hot hot oven, then mashes it and mixes with tahini. There was an incident with the baba ganouj too – it was at 2 AM, on my living room couch, and involved nothing other than a container of the baba ganouj and a spoon. The pita seemed superfluous.
Fatir
But speaking of the pita: they cook it daily in the back, and it’s best eaten fresh, with all of the above.
I am so glad more and more people are finding this place. Our entire family (including the 3 year old) loves this place. We always feel welcomed and are slowly making our way through the menu. The first time we went I was looking at the menu board and was having a hard tiem decidingbetweent he falafel or chicken. A woman, a stranger, acosted me, gabbed my arm and empahtically told me “Its all good. so so good. really everything. I mean it. Every thing. I am serious. Everything. Try the chicken and move on from there. I am here every week. Pick something, anything. its all great.” That was the first time anything like that had happened to me in a restaurant I can tell you.
great blog btw.
Christine: Thanks for stopping by Zollipop, and for reinforcing to Winnipeg the greatness of Baraka Pita Bakery! I was just there the other day – I could barely stop myself from digging into my Baba Ganoush with my bare fingers on the drive home!
Hooray for pita ovens!
I’ve made this several times since senieg you make it on Dr Oz and I absolutely LOVE IT!!! It’s my very favorite breakfast now. However, I do have to break the egg to get it to cook right and I also need to microwave it longer. Difference in microwave maybe. No matter, it’s worth the wait!
mmmmm Baraka is in my neighbourhood! We go there every Friday for lunch too! I couldn’t agree with you more about the atmosphere, friendliness, and the amazing food!! The lentil soup they now serve is amazing, the garlic sauce they use in their donairs is home made! all soooooo good. I am now dreaming of having lunch there!
Hey Lori! I eat their baba ganoush with a spoon! Thanks for stopping by Zollipop.
I just wish they fried the falafels fresh instead of nuking them. Everything else is top-notch.
Pingback: A Terrific Trifecta on Main Street « Winnipeg O' My Heart