Dukana is bringing the flavour of the Levant to Laurier
With a bit of old world magic, this ineffable little sandwich shop is feeding the body, mind, and spirit.
If it wasn’t for the portrait of their endearing mascot hanging proudly above the sidewalk, you may not have even noticed the nascent restaurant forming at 1556 Avenue Laurier Est. But those who do notice, often ask about the goat. “I fell in love with them. They’re super resilient, hardworking and the fact that they could balance themselves on such a steep edge just to get salt… it’s crazy to me.” The adorable little mammal is warm and inviting, peaking the interest of any one walking by but projects the kind of strength that lets you know that Dukana is here to stay.
Sandwiched between the local Frites Alors! and neighbourhood darling, Café Méchants Pinsons, this burgeoning new restaurant is looking to infuse the Laurier community with a fresh take on traditional Lebanese flavours of olive, garlic, and chickpeas.
Bringing the Levant to Laurier In Arabic, you can imbue a word with a bit of intimacy if you add na to the end. Dukana takes this concept to the humble shop or dukan to bring us something a little more familial. Started by two Omnivore veterans, Lara and Ali are looking to feed Laurier the kinds of flavours that may be new to the neighbourhood but certainly not to them. “We’re still figuring it out, but at the base we wanted to sell products from back home in Lebanon and the Arab world that we also use in our kitchen.” And from the Fairouz record proudly hung on the wall to the cupboards full of pickled vegetables and a CRT TV playing classic movies, you might start believing you were in that kitchen back home, sharing a meal with family.
The Familiar Flavours From their creamy tahini, to powerful aromatics like garlic and cardamom, Dukana makes good use of Lebanese culinary staples. “Basically, we’re taking old classics and reworking them.” This fusion of new and old is nowhere more evident than in their best selling sandwich, the eponymous Le Dukana. You start with batbot, the light and fluffy roll hailing all the way from Morocco, stuff it with shredded chicken taouk and plenty of pickles for that all important crunch, and to top it all off with their delicious garlic sauce, the toum. It’s a melange of middle east flavours that work so well you’ll wonder how you made it this far in life without them.
Developing hard hitting classics is what Lara and Ali do best but the pair also needed space to get inventive. “We did start with a small menu, but we also kept a space for being creative, new items down the line, and just letting things transforming.” And things are certainly transforming; besides their world-class sandwiches and salads, Dukana has also been experimenting with a hearty lentil soup, the perfect dish to keep you warm during the long hard winter months.
It takes a village
Ali was born in the town of Bekka, Lebanon. It’s a tiny village halfway between Beirut and Damascus and with a population of around 2000. It’s a place where everyone knows their neighbour and the only new face you’ll find is on a baby. When Ali and his father, Faycal, first returned to Bekka after being away for 15 years, they went to visit their longtime butcher. When the two entered the shop, the butcher recognized Faycal immediately, dropped everything he was doing, and gave him a hug. In a community this tightly knit, you’ll never be forgotten, no matter how long you’ve been gone. It’s this kind of bond that Ali can’t help but build with his customers. If he’s not working away over a hot stove, he’s at the cash, chatting about life and making sure that your experience at Dukana gives you a reason to come back, even if it happens a decade and a half later.