Superbaba (Vancouver) — Restaurant in Vancouver

I had heard about this place from a friend and was in the area and decided to try it. It’s located just north of Broadway on Main Street, near a number of different cafes, bars and other great shops and near the Mount Pleasant Community Centre.

It’s a funky place with seating inside and the option to order in person or online for set pick up times. I ordered ahead and waited five minutes past my scheduled pick up time. I got a chicken wrap, a falafel wrap, some fries with sumac mayo and two drinks (mint lemonade and iced tea with orange citrus).

The falafel wrap was filled with veg and pickles and the falafel were nice and moist, but the wrap needed more flavour and sauce. The chicken wrap didn’t look too appetizing (all beige colours) and it took a page from the Greek gyro, adding fries inside the wrap. It had some sort of pickle (maybe jicama or daikon) and the chicken looked like it was grilled. The flavours were fine, but it needed more texture and sauce too.

The highlight for me was the mayo that came with the fries. It reminded me of the garlic sauce you get at Jamjar and I guiltily ate it all up. The drinks were done well and were a good addition to the meal.

If I went back, I’d try their bowl instead of the wrap and I’d think about adding different sauces (for an extra coat). That said, I still prefer my shawarma places where they cut the meat off a giant spit. It just adds another level of taste and the...

FRIDAY CLOSING SHIFT STAFF NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED We were there for our usual chicken shawarma wrap. It was 5 minutes before closing and hostess let us aware. We ordered our shawarmas and saw a lot of chicken still cooking on the grill while waiting which got us excited as usual. When we received our wraps, they were cold. I knew something was different with this order. As we took our food and proceeded to walk out I noticed the lights shut off abruptly as if we were being chased out. How rude! When we brought the food home I felt deeply disappointed. A lot of the chicken were dried and SEVERELY BURNT bits. The overwhelming portion of cabbage and lack of sauce and absence of fries made the wrap taste wildly different from the past- it barely resembled my favourite neighborhood pick up food. I'm making a big assumption here that the fresh grilled chicken was for staff themselves. If that is true, I am so upset and suspicious. If a restaurant that bluntly undermines standards for their products I don't know in what other places it cuts corners where we can't see. At the end of the day, the food was terrible and I wish I could have shown them what they served me. I wish they just refused me service because we arrived too close to closing. Superbaba chicken shawarma RIP. Someone suggest a comparable pick up joint in the...

I walked by Superbaba for weeks before finally stepping inside. I hesitated when I saw the $16 price tag for the kofta dish, typically thinking of Lebanese food as inexpensive donair joints. But the place was busy so I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did.

The flavors were fantastic, with a complex blend of spices coating the tender ground beef. While the portion size was adequate, I would have preferred more meat and less rice. The kofta itself was the star - the meat was very fresh and flavorful. The portion size was decent, though the bowl contained more veggies than meat. The cost was a bit high compared to the average Vancouver gyro place. But you're paying for quality here, with fresh, halal meats and homemade sauces and salads. The dining room is simple but cheerful, with yellow walls and wooden tables. Most importantly this place seemed super clean. The clientele is a mix of humanity, young professionals families, downtown hipsters, and students.

Superbaba's kofta dish impressed me enough on my first visit that I want to return to try more of their menu. This place manages to elevate Lebanese street food to a higher level, without totally abandoning its casual, affordable roots. If the kofta is any indication, there are many more flavorful...