Vegetarian
20. Vegetarian buffet Since 1988, the kitchen behind The Green Door has been peeling and chopping and whirring and kneading and showing no sign of doing anything other than getting tastier and tastier and more and more inventive. The daily veggie buffet is priced by weight. Think light or pile it on, depending on your hunger and your wallet. $21/kg; $23.75/kg for dessert items.The Green Door, 198 Main St., 613-234-9597. ~AD 21. Potato quarma Quarma, ghormeh, qorma, korma — all names for braised dishes, whether Iranian lamb, Tajikistani chicken, or Sri Lankan aubergine. At Afghani Kabob Express, manager Sharifa Asiel makes hers simply with potatoes. But potatoes like you’ve never had before. The creamy sauce is rich with caramelized onions and, as Asiel says, spices that “warm the tongue.” $4.99. Afghani Kabob Express, 240 Bank St., 613-593-8880. ~CD 22. Sambussas Looking for party food? Make a platter of sambussas, Ethiopia’s refined answer to samosas. Too much like work? Then order ahead at the Blue Nile. Co-owner Tseday Kassa makes her vegetable sambussas with thinly rolled yeast dough, filling them with curried sweet onions, lentils, and green beans. Deep-fried, these deeply golden turnovers are soft and delicate. Once tried, you’ll never forget them. $1.50. Blue Nile, 577 Gladstone Ave., 613-321-0774. ~CD 23. Vegetarian leftovers Stroll through the doors of the jam-packed Vaishali’s Super Store, then immediately turn left and head for the pop fridge with the faded 7-Up sign. That’s where they stash the 500-mL containers of leftover curries from busy Little India Café next door. At $5.99, veggie curries such as baigan bharta (spicy eggplant) and aloo ghobi masala (potatoes, cauliflower, and tomatoes) are a steal. Prepare your own rice, and you have dinner for two for $13, tax included. Heck, with the money you’ve saved, you might consider splurging on an Indian sweet or a $1.99 kulfi popsicle for dessert. Vaishali’s Super Store, 62 Wylie Ave., 613-721-0318. ~SP 24. Za’atar pie Breakfast? Lunch? “Sit here anytime, and you’ll see how many people come in for manakish bi’l za’atar,” says Mohamad Farhat, manager of Aladdin Bakery’s Carling Avenue location. From breakfast to suppertime, za’atar pita is the ultimate quick fix. Za’atar, an earthy Middle Eastern spice mixture, includes thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. Add olives, tomatoes, and onions to your pie. Eat like a queen for a shade under $3. Aladdin Bakery, 1801 Carling Ave., 613-728-5331; 1020 St. Laurent Blvd., 613-742-4244. ~CD