Pita Bell
1846 Carling Ave., 613-686-1740, pitabell.ca
Open: Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
Prices: Sandwiches $5.95 to $7.95, plates $11.95 to $24.95
Access: one small step to front door
For months and months last year, we drove past the Carling Avenue strip mall just east of Maitland Avenue and wondered when Pita Bell would open for business.
The name, the location, and, as we eventually saw, the ambiance, all suggested the arrival of one more takeout-centred fast-food joint — as in nothing special to eat here, Mr. Restaurant Critic, move along.
But the single phrase “Charcoal Grill” above the front door raised our hopes. And happily, since Pita Bell opened in August, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the best of the humble eatery’s dishes, some of which seem to be unique in Ottawa. We even found out that Pita Bell could provide an enjoyable and affordable Middle Eastern feast.
We’ll start with a treat that Pita Bell undersells on its menu. “Pita Pie” didn’t sound that interesting to me, but fortunately I asked for elaboration. One of Pita Bell’s cooks and co-owners told me the item was a “Turkish-style pizza.” Googling leads me to believe that what we have here is pide (pronounced pea-deh, more or less in Turkey), which is a big enough deal that the Telegraph newspaper in London had an article last summer headlined “Move over pizza: it’s all about Turkish pide now.”
Ground beef pita pie (Turkish-style pizza) at Pita Bell
The proof is in the eating, and I thoroughly enjoyed Pita Bell’s version of pide. The puffy, canoe-shaped flatbread came fresh from the oven, blessed with a golden, egg-washed crust and stuffed with savoury ground beef flecked with peppers and red onions and lightly topped with cheese.
If Pita Bell’s cook is right, and I think he is, you won’t find better pide in an Ottawa restaurant, because no other Ottawa restaurant serves pide.
The core business at Pita Bell is its selection of charcoal-grilled kebabs, made with locally sourced halal meats, served in pita sandwiches or on platters with rice and salad. A Pita Bell Mix platter of three kebabs ($17.95) yielded enough food for two for lunch, including chunks of moist and well-seasoned chicken, eminently tender filet mignon, and a ground beef skewer that was assertively spicy in the “Adana” style of the eponymous Turkish city. The not-spicy beef kebab is made in an Iraqi-Turkish style, I was told.
Pita Bell Mix platter at Pita Bell
Rice and salad on the kebab plate were satisfactory but not as special as the meat. Meanwhile, fries served with a filet mignon sandwich were chunky, crisp and well made. They were topped with a dusting of green powder that made me wonder if some MSG-like boost was involved. I was assured that the Montreal made spice, seed and herb blend was all-natural.
Filet mignon pita sandwich and fries at Pita Bell
Encouraged by the pleasant cheap eats, we sprang for one of Pita Bell’s special orders — the lamb ouzi ($160) large enough to feed eight people with its spice-rubbed, slow-roasted lamb leg on a bed of rice pilaf.
Say what you want about Pita Bell’s no-frills dining room, the lamb ouzi, which we took home in a huge aluminum tray, was an impressive centrepiece meal that spoke to high standards in the kitchen.
We ordered the lamb a day in advance as required and the man who took my order got on the phone and placed the order for the meat.
After three hours in the oven, the massive roast was moist and tender, and not the least bit gamy. I was told that as an option, we could have had the lamb meat cut off the bone, boiled with spices, onions, garlic and more, and then quickly broiled, but we were more interested in the simpler preparation and we weren’t disappointed.
Lamb Ouzi from Pita Bell
The generous heap of baked rice pilaf on which the roast sat was well flavoured by saffron, turmeric, bay leaf, onion and garlic, garnished with fried almonds and parsley. Perfectly fluffy and tasty through and through, the rice was worthy of a special occasion, and indeed, I was told that the so-called Qedra rice was a staple at weddings.
We rounded out the meal with fine accompaniments. The smooth lentil soup ($4.95) had a prominent peppery kick and a soulful depth of flavour from onions and garlic. Superior baba ghanouj ($4.95) impressed with its fresh, light smokiness, balanced flavours and slightly chunky eggplant mingling with tahini. Hummus was super-smooth and fresh, and falafel ($4.95 for six) had good concentrated flavour.
Lentil soup from Pita Bell
Baba ghanouj at Pita Bell
Falafel at Pita Bell
Dessert choices were limited but interesting. We split a big puck of kunafa ($6.45), which combined, I was told, sweet mozzarella and akkawi cheese with a crunchy topping and sugar syrup. Some rose water — thankfully not too much — added a floral note.
Kunafa at Pita Bell
You could wish for more comfort and even finery from Pita Bell’s dining area, that it were worthy of a date night. But, especially in these days of rising food costs, you would be better off appreciating the most well-made and distinctive dishes at this unassuming but commendable place, whether you eat there or at home.
phum@postmedia.com
twitter.com/peterhum
