I arrived at Hanan’s Kitchen, located a short walk from the Legislature, a few minutes before noon. It’s a good thing I did, because just a few minutes after I arrived, a decent, steady line of customers had formed. Even though it opened late in the summer, this Middle Eastern spot is clearly developing a fan base amongst the nearby office workers,
Sure, there is pizza, burgers and fries on the menu. There is falafel and donairs. But what catches my eye are the Mediterranean Wings. Yes, an order of wings, but instead of being heavily sauced and served with a side of celery sticks, these are cooked in lemon, garlic and cilantro.
As soon as I opened the box, the smell of garlic erupted from the dish. The steam coming from the wings was wonderfully pungent, almost tear-jerking, in its strength. The lemon juice had gathered on the bottom, so the best course was to take each wing, swirl it in the pool of garlicky-lemon sauce, and take a bite. I wasn’t sharing, so I could safely double-dip. The garlic was not as overpowering as I thought it might be, or as the scent had suggested. With a splash of lemon and cilantro, the wings didn’t feel heavy at all. These might be the most guiltless wings I’ve had — and I’ve eaten more than my fair share of wings over the course of my life.
I also ordered a fattoush salad, with plenty of cracked pita and a coating of sweet vinaigrette on the side. The salad alone was meal-sized, and you should know this going in.
It was a good lunch offering, the wings and salad were more than I could finish in one go.
But don’t just take my opinion for it — look at that lineup for lunch.
Hanan’s Kitchen
Downtown | 10629 99 Ave NW, Edmonton | 780.250.4500 | hananskitchen.ca
