Olly Fresco's Food Market & Catering — Restaurant in Calgary

Let's talk about donairs. I'm going to have to go with a 6.5 out of 10. I have my reasons. I’m willing to talk.

Let’s start with toppings. The roster is just short of the status quo, opting for only a combined parsley-onion offer rather than the more typically available option of either/or. They espouse the picked turnip philosophy rather than the pickled cabbage school of thought – though we visit the implications of this choice in a moment. Although this frugal practice is questionably acceptable even for a stand-alone shawarma stand, it’s an especially bold gamble for an establishment catering to the fickle lunch-time passer-by who enjoys a cornucopia of lunch options. I invite you to capture me with your cabbage. Is that so much to ask? It could be – I don’t know. But there’s only one way to find out. Or maybe two.

Enough with the economics. Let’s look at the culinary experience. Yes, I’m still talking about toppings. I’m as surprised as you are. For the marginal cost of offering pickled cabbage instead of turnip, and perhaps some hot pepper rings, they could really have an offering to be proud of. Bifurcating onions from the parsley means a fresher and crisper onion, and isolates the earthy taste of parsley that some just don’t welcome. Now look at what we’ve done: You have replaced the pickled turnip (which doesn't pull its weight in terms of flavor profile, being too dense to carry detectable brininess) with cabbage, which packs a briny punch and zesty crunch. Where was the crunch coming from before? Nowhere. That’s where. And if you do like the subtle flavor of the vivaciously colored turnip, then at least you can supplement the crunch with the onions. Let’s face it – no one likes a crunchy pita; that’s the role of the veggies. If you want to suggest that the turnips add adequate crunch, then I invite you to put your teeth back in to try again.

Also, I don’t have scurvy: You can chop up the tomatoes just a little bit, if you like.

What about the pita? This about it: Wrapping with a single pita, in an open-ended configuration, invites a huge risk of mess. Execution is everything. Is that dice you want to roll? Explosive, saucy dice? The speed and certainty afforded by a dual-pita solution earns you back some time efficiency, and affords us with a chewier and more manageable experience. Let your donair be as ambitious as my belly. And if it needs to get a little bit bigger to achieve that goal, so be it. The donair…not…my…anyways.

Now, this is going to incite a cultural debate, but if you're going to do it Lebanese style, you need to use the tahini and sweet sauce correctly. You can't hedge with a watered down sweet tahini sauce. You need a condensed milk sauce and you need a savory tahini. To thine own self, be chewed.

Calgary is a city full of structural engineers, so you need to be thoughtful about assembly. Veggies on the pita, meat on the veggies, sauce on the meat. This is how you win a Stanley Cup. Putting the sauce on the veggies, then adding the meat like a cheap curtain…you’re not even competing for a wildcard spot, honey. (Wouldn’t honey be good on a donair?)

I sound like I’m being hard on y’all, but really, I’m excited for all the potential for growth and evolution you have ahead of you. Let us...

I have no complaints with the food and variety - that is excellent. However I had one bad experience with the service and that’s enough for me. I had to reply to a call with a government agency after being on hold for 3 hours and there was a delay in paying through my phone wallet because of that. Hate to say that the lady at the register made me feel very stupid. I understand it was a queue and I even apologised for it. But she was condescending in her response and I had to leave immediately without paying because the fire alarm went off. Her body language and response to me was unpleasant and left a bitter taste for me. Not...

Typically, i would not write a review if its negative - but here goes. Some of the food items in the hot buffet are salty beyond any description. Do not get the butter chicken. Just get the free packets of salt and pour it on your tongue. I tried to call them to tell them how awful it was and that they should personally try it, but no answer. But - the people and the service there is always pleasant - that i will always admit.

Hot buffet - if you can manage a taste before throwing your money in the garbage - i would recommend that you do. sometimes even a small meal that costs more than minimum wage should...