Roman Zaman Damascene Cuisine — Restaurant in Mississauga

My niece celebrated her birthday at this restaurant which prides itself in Damascene cuisine. First off to place an order takes too long, I only saw one server for 8 occupied tables. Once the order is placed, the food did not take long to be served. We ordered Chicken Liver with olive oil, pomegranate molasses and RZ sauce, Baba Ghannoosh - roasted eggplant mixed with tahini and virgin olive oil, Beef Shawarma Platter with fries, Roman Zaman Grills - 2 beef kabab, 1 lamb, 1 shish tawook (charcoal grilled marinated chicken breasts) with rice and Burger with Fries. We were also given fresh warm Pita bread and can request for more if needed. The chicken liver was so well seasoned and tasteful. All the food was a delight, they were delicious and flavourful. They put in pomegranate molasses in the baba ghannoosh and in the liver which enhanced the flavour. Price was reasonable. The decor was also nice with a fountain in the middle of the restaurant. As the restaurant name implied zaman means the old days where the old generation used to eat with copper cutlery and wooden boards to maintain the freshness of food, water is in a copper pitcher, food are served in copper bowls and wooden boards. The staff were friendly and made sure to check if we have everything we needed. I would have given the restaurant a 5 except that the cleaning cart containing the garbage bin, cleaning supplies and bus tubs for used plates, glasses, cutleries, was left in the hallway close to a dining table where people were still eating. I had to tell the staff to remove it. It looks like when they are clearing tables they bring the cleaning cart to the table because I did notice it when we arrived and the staff cleared the table next to ours which I did not find right. Part of the dining experience aside from quality and taste of food is the cleanliness and order of the restaurant. The restaurant should find a better way of clearing the tables and not have a cleaning cart moving around while there are people still enjoying their meals in...

Today was our first visit to Roman Zaman, and unfortunately, it will be our last.

My wife and I enjoy trying restaurants based on Google Maps ratings, and we chose Roman Zaman for its high ratings and appealing menu. We drove 1.5 hours from Kitchener to Mississauga and were initially impressed by the staff wearing Kofiah—much respect! 🫡

After a bit of a long drive, we needed to use the restroom, but it was disappointing. My wife found a baby diaper in the women’s bathroom, and it was smelly. The men’s bathroom wasn’t much better.

Still, we were excited for the food. We usually start small when trying a new place. We ordered Yalanji first—it was good, but not something to go out of your way for. As a soup lover, I then ordered the mushroom soup, which tasted like it used canned mushrooms (I might be wrong here) and the soup was just fine (Always Alhamdulillah). We decided to give it one more shot by ordering the overpriced Arayes, hoping it was worth it, but it was a letdown. It was oily and lacked the authentic Arayes taste.

After that, we left feeling a bit disappointed. The atmosphere was nice, with a homey vibe, a fountain, and pleasant décor, but honestly, we came for good food worth the trip.

LUCKILY, there was a bakery next door where we enjoyed croissants, dessert, and complimentary lemon water drinks.

In the end, the place has great vibes and you might enjoy it. Maybe there are some great dishes that we didn't try but it was our bad luck. However, the rating is for our experience not for...

Great Food | Great Ambiance | Helpful Staff | Recommended ---- Detailed Review Below ----

Wonderful, authentic Syrian food in the heart of Mississauga. One of the best Syrian restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area.

Beautifully decorated location with multiple artfully separated seating areas - allowing everyone privacy.

Highly recommended whether you are keen to try Syrian food or are a native connoisseur.

We first found this place in 2017/18 and have been regulars here since. Over the years we have discovered more of the richness of the Syrian cuisine here (and at other places). We have tried and can recommend

Safsouf Salad (Borghol (crushed wheat), tomatoes, mint, garlic, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses). 9/10 - both for the taste and the presentation!

Lentil Soup (Orange lentils, garlic, onion, olive oil and spices served with crispy fried pita bread and fresh lemon). 9/10

Fried Beef Kibbeh (Fried beef kibbeh, tahini, pickles and lettuce) - 8/10

Fatteh Hummos (Boiled chickpeas, fried pita bread, garlic, tahini, garnished with pomegranate and almonds) - 10/10, particularly for the very interesting mix of textures!

We also liked the Roman Zaman Grill Platter and the Arayes.

The only thing we tried and didn’t like much was the Knefeh (we like the Turkish version which is much crisper)

Overall Verdict: Recommended

Food/ Quality - 4/5 Location/ Ambiance - 4/5 Price (Value for Money) - 4/5 Service - 4/5 Others 5/5...