Chez Apo: Where lahmadjoune meets zaatar photo: Joseph Yarmush

At Chez Apo you'll find hybrid Lebanese-Armenian savoury baked goods fresh from a brick oven. Perfect for picking up party-time munchies, which is exactly what we did one sunny afternoon on the way to our favourite one-year-old's birthday party.

He's famed for his lahmadjoune, the one through-and-through Armenian item there. Apo also bakes thyme-and-sumac-sprinkled zaatar bread, and spinach pizza. It was impossible to choose a favourite as each was fresher than the other.

Which would the crowd prefer - the lightly citric zaatar? The spongier bottomed spinach with slightly rank feta-esque cheese and a bit of hot spice? ("Way more flavourful than you'd find in a restaurant," one pal said.) And the lahmadjoune even tempted my vegetarian-inspired sister. Its thin crust was floury and blistered, the crumbled beef topping, bolstered with tomato, was rich with onion. (Apo tried to convince my friend that the meat was rabbit. What a joker. He then slipped my comely chum a container of pungent, salty pink turnip.)

We presented these and more with utmost confidence at the party, since we ate half of them in the car on the way over, just in case. We also felt sure of the four-pack of appetizers: thick hummus, heavily dosed with tahini, as is the Lebanese wont. The baba ghanoush was similarly hefty and very well balanced between eggplant, tahini and lemon. There was also a kidney bean and chickpea salad, laced with spring onions, and a tabbouleh.

At the party an Armenian friend told us tales of his mother growing up in Lebanon. It was household practice to bring your meat mixture to the bakers in the morning, where it'd be spread on dough and cooked in the brick oven, then put aside for pick-up in the afternoon. It's good practice to spray a lemon wedge over the lahmadjoune for added zip, too, he said. And the meat and spinach fatayers, as good as they were cold, would benefit from a few minutes in the oven.

The one-year-old's mom, a member of the Prairie diaspora, said the girth of the rice-packed grapevine leaves (way thicker and juicier than Greek dolmades) reminded her of holubchi - cabbage rolls, to the rest of us. This sparked off the Saskatchewan boy's reminiscence of Louis Riel Day holubchi eating contests back home. (Extensive research does not reveal the record holder.)

The only fare that Apo doesn't make himself is the superb baklava. He eschews the big Lebanese mart ("they're more about quantity than quality," he said) for Villeray bakery, "the best baklava in town." The supersized pastries were not too sweet, not too rich, just right. Some had toasted pistachios, others serious amounts of crushed cashews. Be it countries, provinces or neighbourhood shops, diasporas need to choose best where to go.

Lahmadjoune Beyrough - Yerevan (a.k.a. Chez Apo)

420 Faillon Street; 270-1076

Lunch fixings for two: $6-$10

 
 

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Lahmadjoune - The best I have tasted     I discovered Chez Apo this weekend , by chance. It was the wood burning oven that caught my eye as we drove past. Kind of reminds me of my favourite bagel place St. Viateurs. People constantly coming and going , big smiles on their faces in anticipation of the wonderful flavours they are about to experience. Most people dont make it out of the door before delving in to the Lahmadjoune that is absolute heaven. Do yourself a favour and check it out.
Lesley Heales		March 27th, 2006
CHEZ APO is the place to be!     This place kills! I've eaten here before and I recommend it to anyone who'll listen. If you've ever had a yen for something but don't know what exactly then I would deeply suggest that you come here a feast your belly with some tasty eats that'll make you melt into a puddle of satisfaction. The place isn't a looker and you wouldn't think that the food that you're about to dine on is going to impress you but trust me, for the price and service, you will leave a very happy person. The food tastes rich without being overtly fattening and if all you're really after is a solid meal away from the hustle and bustle this is the place I'd suggest. No, it won't blow you away but the memory will stick with you long after you've eaten. Like Chinese food but in reverse.
Pedro Eggers	{28 votes}	July 23rd, 2004
More is better     Nestled in the Villeray district, just off of St. Denis (actually southwest corner of Faillon), Apo's bakery is a tasty little oasis, off the beaten track. It actually forms a little Lebanese nexus in the area with a great restaurant named Daou, just further down the street. But this review is about the bakery. If your idea of seasonings are just salt and pepper, then this is not the place for you. Your tastebuds will be assaulted and run over by the taste sensations that the bakery's treats have in store for you. The review is right on when it says that it is more flavourable. You will see in your first bite that Apo uses more seasonings than most other places. The overwhelming tastes on the "Armenian pizza" or lahmadjoune was a shock the first time I had it there. But more is better.
Gary Ng	{20 votes}	July 22nd, 2004
A sure bet every time     We tried out Restaurant Dev on Victoria for the first time a few years ago. Indian food is one of my favourites, so I've tried many high-priced and moderately-priced restaurants. I'm going to save you a heck of a lot of money here, believe me. You'll love this place even more when you walk out and realize that you didn't have to leave behind a wad of cash for a so-so meal. It happens to be both the cheapest AND the best Indian restaurant we've ever been to. Our absolute favourite is the Vegetarian Thali. Everything on their menu is heavenly-wonderfully spiced and served with their home-made nan bread. Their samosas are the best we've ever had. Don't forget to sweeten your breath with those anise seeds on your way out!
Claudia Melchiorre	{16 votes}	July 22nd, 2004
Fresh Baked Goods     Chez Apo looks like a very promising restaurant that delivers the good taste buds that we should have. The prices at this restaurant looks very reasonable and it is possible the best restaurant that serves the best baklava in town. I love to eat baklava and I'm surprised that I never heard of this restaurant before. The other reviews given on this restaurant make it a hit. Chez Apo offers the best cuisines from their native country and even if the place doesn't look as good as Baton Rouge don't let it fool you because Chez Apo delivers the goods. The Hour has picked another fantastic restaurant this week that I never heard of that makes me run for Chez Apo that I will be going to very shortly.
Carmela Sicurella	{6 votes}	July 24th, 2004

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