Donair delights in St. Vital

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This article was published 13/05/2019 (2332 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Firas Kassem believes Lamar Donair & Burgers has all the right ingredients to establish itself in the community.

Kassem, 23, is the manager of the brand-new St. Vital-based restaurant, which is located at 17-160 Meadowood Dr. It opened its doors late last month.  

The menu includes a selection of options, many of which are infused with traditional spices. Whether it’s one of a number of donair or chicken shawarma meals, burger meal combinations, veggie wraps, or poutine creations, there should be something for everyone.

“The goal is to provide quality food, and big portions for our customers,” Kassem told The Lance, noting that the first couple of weeks of business have gone well, as more and more visitors check out the newest eatery in the block. “We’re trying to cater to many different tastes and choices. For example, we have vegetarian options, and a French fries wrap meal, as well as different salad and burger options.”

The burgers, in fact, are made at WestGate Halal Meat & Deli in Edmonton, which is owned by Omer Jomha, who also owns Lamar Donair & Burgers. The reason Jomha chose to open his first restaurant in Winnipeg rather than Edmonton is the market, Kassem said.

“There is more a shortage of this kind of food in Winnipeg, especially in the south end. In Edmonton, the competition is very high, so there’s a better market for it here in Winnipeg.”

“Winnipeg is also so diverse, and is home to people from all around the world who enjoy good food, and good quality food, to fill them up. The key is to offer a good product at a good price without sacrificing quality. So far, the feedback I’m getting from people is that they’re blown away by the portions and quality, and lots of our customers have been saying it’s the best donair or shawarma in Winnipeg, which is great because we put a lot of care and passion into our food,” he added.

And when it comes to establishing itself in the city, the relationship the restaurant is fostering with its growing customer base is more crucial to the recipe of its potential success than any single ingredient.

“We like to make our customers happy, and we’re always open to feedback and suggestions. And if someone has a certain type of dietary requirement, we’ll try to be as accommodating as possible. Keeping the customer happy, and maintain the quality of food two of the most important things — and if the quality is there, the customer is happy,” Kassem said, adding the restaurant will cater to any groups, organizations or businesses looking to order larger quantities for events and functions.

In terms of the restaurant’s location, Kassem is happy the business is setting up shop in St. Vital.

“It’s actually a really great location. There are so many businesses around here, and we’re getting lots of passing trade, including people on their way to work, during their lunch hour, and on their way home,” he said.

“As well, we offer lots of healthy options for people, and a lot of our food has a lot of protein, which is good for athletes and bodybuilders, or anyone not looking to consume a lot of calories. We make our sauces in-house, too, our chef believes we have the best garlic sauce in the city. Some of our recipes are family recipes, and some our old-school recipes we’ve tweaked a bit to modernize them.”

“We exciting about being part of this community, and in the future we hope to be at different events,” Kassem added.   

 
Go online at lamardonair.ca or call 204-421-7770 for more information.