Saturday, July 3, 2010

Pizza Allnite - Quadra and Hillside

I have driven past this place for years and never stopped in, there was nothing inviting about it. On July 1st I was looking for something for dinner at 9:30 and night and went here because the Taco Time was closed.

I had never paid much attention, but they have some interesting food available beyond the pizzas.   I did not ask, but I suspect they place changed hands not too long ago.   On Google Streetview there is no mention of their shawarma and other middle eastern foods.   A shawarma is similar to a donner or gyros.

They were serving a chicken shawarma and it was good, very good.   The pitas were thin, almost tortilla like.   The yougurt had a nice flavour with cilantro in it.   The hot sauce hit the right note for it.   I am planning on many more these in the future, certainly this will be were I go and not Taco Time.

The place is run by a Dari (aka Persian) couple from Afghanistan, she is from Herat and he is from Kabul.   I had an enjoyable conversation with her as I was I was getting my food.   Turns out the place is a hang out for Saudi Arabian students at UVic because they make kabsa.   I had no idea there were enough Saudis in town to make for a hang out.  I will have to try the kabsa the next time I go in.

The baklava was good, according to Sheila, I did not manage to get a piece of it, but then I did not ask.

The pizza by the slice - it sucked.  In fact I am not sure pizza is a reason to order from here.   I think they should focus on the cuisine they know well and is something different than what other people are doing.  The menus they hand out do not include the new menu items and the website does not highlight them.   I think there is a market in Victoria for a place that does good Middle Eastern food and delivers.

I could not have made that chicken shawarma at home.

San Remo on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

dk said...

The people in the kitchen are all new as of early 2010. The current manager was a partner in the business when the old guard was running things, and he took over when they left.

I will definitely cosign your chicken shawarma comments. Wings are great too. I'm probably a little biased because they sponsor my blog, but I enjoy the pizza as well. Have never bought it by the slice though. Still the shawarma and wings are easily the best items on the menu. Awesome people.

dk said...

This place rules. They sponsor my blog. Kitchen staff is all new as of early 2010. Current manager has been a partner in the business since before the kitchen changes and took over full management from the old guard when they left.

Shawarma and wings are both excellent. Burger is the best burger deal in town. I like the pizza, but I imagination it does suffer from sitting on a tray for any length of time. Thus completes my shilling.

dk said...

Sorry for the double post.

Tried the Kabsa last night and it's also great (and cheap). Baklava was sold it.

Davek said...

On your recommendation, my daughter and I visited Pizza Allnite. The shawarma, our first ever, was just as good as you said. While it was being prepared, we chatted with the young man from Kabul, and mentioned your post. He said he knew of it, and was upset to hear his pizza wasn't to your liking. As we ate our shawarma, he asked us to let him prepare a small pizza for us, and comment on it here. Despite having the edge taken off our appetites by the shawarma, we found the pizza very satisfying. The upturned edges made for a very nice crust, and the sauce was placed so that one bite would have some heat and the next wouldn't. All in all, it was very enjoyable, and I will certainly be ordering from them the next time we want take-out pizza for supper.

Bernard said...

I will have to try ordering a pizza and net getting the by the slice and see what it is like

Unknown said...

You gotta try their Halifax Donair, or even their regular salad donair which has a combo of the sweet Halifax sauce the yogurt. Both are delicious. Do it without the cheese and add extra onions and tomatoes. I'm telling ya, the only disappointment you'll have is that you didn't order two!