Edible Ottawa

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• Photo by Brendan Burden

  The best way to experience Pita Bell Kabab on Carling Avenue is with one of its family platters with pide and Mustafa Omar's take on traditional Turkish kababs, such as Adana, simit and shish taouk.

• "The eyes eat before the stomach” is an expression that Mustafa Omar (top) keeps in mind when creating the Turkish-style menu at his restaurant, Pita Bell Kabab.

• There's only one dessert on the menu — kunafa (top) — and there's enough to share. It's made of spun semolina pastry that's layered around a cheese centre, soaked in sweet rose syrup and topped with pistachios.

• Running the restaurant is a family affair. Omar, above left, works at the restaurant with his son, Mohammed, and daughter, Fatima, shown above with their brother, Abdurahman. His daughters, Zaynab and Aysha, not shown, also work at the restaurant.