#andalos

[CURIOSIDADES] WINTERFELL: Uma história de Game of Thrones

Conheça um pouco da história da fortaleza da Casa Stark, no complexo e controverso mundo de Westeros. No entanto, esteja avisado, o inverno não é a única coisa que está chegando. Por isso, talvez você possa encontrar alguns spoilers. (more…)

I didn't have time to pack a lunch for work this past Monday, and by noon I found myself hungry and wanting to try something new and tasty. Andalos was recommended to me by a co-worker, and I must say that it ended up being one of the most delicious and inexpensive lunches I've had in a long time. Located in the industrial area of Ville St. Laurent, this bakery/cafe/restaurant flourished into a mecca for traditional Arabic food. The place is jam packed during lunch hour as both regular and new visitors flock to Andalos on a daily basis. What also makes this place so enjoyable is that they have outside park tables, where you're able to enjoy your lunch on semi-comfortable red picnic benches.

Andalos is known for their Lebanese pitas which are loaded with succulent toppings that can be as good as the ones you enjoy on your favorite pizza. They have a plethora of toppings (around 20), that range from eggs to potatoes, or lamb and cheese.

The great thing about ordering one of these besides its price, is that they also add additional toppings to them (you have a choice of lettuce, tomatoes, mint, and several sauces) and then they toss them into the oven right in front of you. After a couple of minutes you have a hot and fresh lunch ready to devour. I ordered the Mexican, which was loaded with peppers, cheese and chicken. I also had the choice of having garlic sauce or sesame, and I opted for both, and what a great choice that was. The dough was moist, floury and all around delicious. The pita is very large, and will definitely fill an average person up for the rest of the day.

But, since I’m not an average person, I kept eating and trying more delectable Arabic cuisine, like their lahmajoun, which is a combination of meat and dough that stems from early Levantine cuisine and is commonly found in places like Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Many restaurants and bakeries now specialize in lahmajoun; it has become popular internationally in many countries. The dough is now slightly thinner than most of their pitas and layered with minced meat, parsley and spices. Although the layering is thin, it packs a bold and powerful taste, especially when sprinkled with lemon juice after it comes straight out of the oven. This is the best $1.75 you’ll spend as part of your lunch.

To switch things up a little, I got one of these fried rolls that were packed with cheese and held a seasoning inside that had a similar taste to a Chinese spring roll which was unexpected, and while it wasn't the best I've ever had, it was a satisfactory addition to my meal.

I got a meat kibbeh to go, and reheated it back at work in the microwave. Although it was a touch dry (possibly because of reheating it) the taste was really nice; the outer sinful ultra fried breading tucked away a generous portion of minced meat and promoted a sweet and succulent combination, which was a perfect finish to my lunch.