What’s the vibe:
After closing popular French restaurant Bar Begonia (seemingly out of nowhere) at the end of last year, fans of the restaurant duo wondered what Anthony Rose and Rob Wilder had in store for the space. “We had three years of Bar Begonia and we loved it. It was doing well – we just thought that we could do something that was a little more us,” Rose says.
It wasn’t long before Fet Zun, a Middle Eastern tapas spot, opened up in the space on Dupont. Reminiscent of Rose and Wilder’s other Middle Eastern restaurant, Fat Pasha, this new addition to their Dupont empire is familiar, yet different. “We had this idea for a while. We love Fat Pasha and what that was doing so we felt like we could do something different than that but still with some of the same flavours,” says Rose. While the bones of Bar Begonia can still be seen in the space, Fet Zun is brighter and more cheerful than its predecessor.
What to drink:
A bar programme of flavourful and unique cocktails pairs wonderfully with the menu of spice-forward dishes. Made with vermouth, rum, mango juice, lime and amba syrup, the mo amba is a great cocktail to kick off the night before diving into the list of interesting tipples. With a soft serve machine onsite, Fet Zun’s bartenders can whip up dessert-style cocktails like the orange Julius, a sweet concoction of house-made fresh orange juice topped with ice cream.
What to eat:
The mezze section of the menu is stacked with items that are meant for sharing. Start with an assortment of dips and an order of handmade pita bread. All of Fet Zun’s dough is made in house so double down on the grain and get the flatbread too – it’s covered in olive oil, za’atar and sesame seeds. Among the plentiful dip options are a whipped feta cheese with honey and babaganoush – a roasted eggplant-based dip. But our favourites were the massahaba, similar to a hummus but made with lima beans, and the chirsi, made with chickpeas, butternut squash and harissa hot sauce, topped with labneh and pomegranate drizzle.
After you’re stuffed with pita and dips, make room for the chicken shawarma. Charred and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and perfectly seasoned, it’s different than what usually comes to mind when you think of shawarma. It’s served with a sweet mango chutney that perfectly contrasts the salty spices. Soaked in butter and topped with brown sugar and sesame seeds, the roasted half kabocha squash makes for a great side or vegetarian main.
For dessert, don’t miss the pita doughnut. Reminiscent of carnival treats like funnel cake or Beaver tails, the crispy, deep fried dough is fluffy and warm on the inside. Soft serve ice cream on the side is treated as an extra option, but is mandatory for the full experience.
Dinner and drinks for two: about $80.
252 Dupont Street, 647-352-3337; fetzun.com
