Jamjar

Whenever a new restaurant opens up on Commercial Drive, it's a big deal. With its string of institutions that have withstood the test of time — Havana, The Reef, Marcelo's to name a few — there simply isn't much real estate left for newbies. But if the lineups pouring out of Jamjar since its October 2014 opening are any indication, the Lebanese eatery is a welcome addition to the ‘hood. Maybe that’s because the new kid on the block is unlike anything the city has ever seen.

“There simply aren’t very many Lebanese restaurants in Vancouver,” says Lebanon-born owner Fadi Eid, who left a career as a food and beverage manager at the Fairmont to open up the eatery. His concept for the “folk Lebanese” restaurant is to serve healthy, traditional Lebanese mezes (fattoush salad, roasted eggplant dip and saj-fresh flatbread) made with super fresh seasonal ingredients, plus a few dishes normally found only in Lebanese homes. “Lebanese restaurant menus are usually quite fixed but we serve stews like Lamb Laban Immo — lamb shank cooked in a yogurt sauce and served with rice,” he says.

Most items are meant to be served family-style, and washed down with Lebanese beer or cocktails laced with cooking spices (the Date Lavender Old Fashioned with date molasses, fresh lavender and lavender syrup, is a must). Brought to you in a laid back, modern setting (think reclaimed wood tables, antique mirrors and windows), Jamjar is the ideal spot for date night, girls’ night and everything in between.