[chicken] El R’gaga الرقاقه أو المكامير
El R’gaga (aka Al Makameer) is a traditional dish from the countryside around Daraa, a city in the southwest of Syria near the border with Jordan. When there is a big occasion with many guests, groups of neighbourhood women get together and make a big batch. Many layers of thinly rolled dough are layered with chicken that has been poached in a spiced broth, and onions caramelized in olive oil. It’s then baked until golden and crispy on top (the name translates as “the chip”, probably referring to the crunchy top layer that absorbs the flavours of the dish).
[vegetarian]
A vegetarian version of the dish, filled with spiced mushrooms and caramelized onions.
Salatet Shamandar سلطة شمندر
A colourful beet salad with chickpeas, carrots and white onion, garnished with parsley and pomegranate seeds in and olive oil & lemon dressing.
Barazek برازق
A crisp, buttery cookie studded with pistachio pieces and covered in sesame seeds, barazek are one of the most famous sweets of Damascus, and a popular gift often brought by people visiting from Syria.
$25 +HST

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Newcomer Kitchen’s weekly pop-up take place on WEDNESDAYS

This week’s meals are available for pickup from The 519

519 Church Street (between Wellesley & Isabella) between 6–7pm
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PLEASE CHECK THE MAPS TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE IN THE DELIVERY AREAS!
Free 3km Delivery
foodora sponsors FREE Delivery within 3km radius.
(approx. Christie to Carlaw, St. Clair to Lakeshore)
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Flat Rate 6km Delivery
If you live outside the 3km free delivery zone, foodora can deliver for $10 within a 6km radius
(approx. Brock to Main, Eglinton to Lakeshore)
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Pickups & deliveries take place between 6–7pm
Orders placed after 4pm on Wednesday can be for pickup only
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Newcomer Kitchen is a new project that invites groups of Syrian newcomer women to use our kitchen to cook traditional Syrian dishes in a fun, social setting. Meals are prepared and packaged, and then sold online for pickup or delivery to pay for all the ingredients and provide a source of revenue for the cooks.
We also offer “Guest Cook” spots on Wednesdays where you can help & hang out in the kitchen, learn the recipes and join the ladies for family meal. These can now be booked via AirBnB Experiences.
Proceeds from the sale of meals goes directly to the newcomer cooks. However this does not cover the costs of the enormous amount of behind-the-scenes coordination required to keep this project going. You can support the Newcomer Kitchen project directly and our vision of expanding this model to support more women in more neighbourhoods!
Help us take this idea into any restaurant kitchen, in any city in the world!
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Learn more about the Newcomer Kitchen project.