Vancouver restaurant delighted to welcome new guests after making OpenTable's Top 100 list
Vancouver is a foodie paradise. From beautiful brunch spots to fantastic food trucks, and a huge variety of local and international cuisine, we’re really spoiled for choice. But, with such an abundance of dining options, it can be difficult to choose where to eat sometimes — meaning it’s easy to miss out on what could become your new favourite restaurant.
Thankfully, OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, has released its Top 100 Most Beloved Restaurants in Canada list, and it’s about to make those decisions all the easier. OpenTable examined more than one million diner reviews to compile its 2022 list of 100 top dining experiences from coast to coast. And this year, the list featured 36 restaurants right here in BC.
One of those Top 100 BC restaurants is Zarak by Afghan Kitchen, a refined Afghan dining destination located on Main St., Vancouver, with an innovative bar program and a passionate team creating beautiful Afghan food.
We spoke to Hassib Sarwari, partner at Zarak by Afghan Kitchen, about the history of the popular restaurant, how it feels to be recognized as one of Canada’s most beloved eateries, and what a place on OpenTable’s renowned list means for their future.
Sarwari tells Daily Hive that Zarak was born out of a desire to share the history and culture of Afghanistan with the world through serving authentic Afghan dishes — like Pakawra and Bandejan — and getting creative when it comes to the cuisine with ideas like a West-Coast inspired Afghan brunch program.
Zarak first opened during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 — a difficult time for the food industry. However, Sarwari says the restaurant received “insurmountable support” from neighbours and the city. “We couldn’t have imagined receiving this level of love. We’re so grateful for the diners of Vancouver and that’s also one of the reasons why we keep evolving as a restaurant to become a better version of ourselves every day.”
Now, thanks to landing a spot on Open Table’s Top 100 Most Beloved Restaurants list, Zarak is enjoying even further success by seeing more and more new customers come through the doors.
“We have welcomed guests who had seen us on the renowned list,” Sarwari says. “To also be alongside other well-respected establishments as a new restaurant is such a big honour for us.”
Zarak, Sarwari explains, will always be a reflection of his humble beginnings as part of a refugee family in Canada — a family that was “penniless in a new country, but making the best of our lives through hard work.”
Themes of family, comfort, and home cooking are evident across the menu. For example, the Qabuli Palaw is something Sarwari’s mother would make for him as a child on special occasions. Now, he is delighted to share the delicious dish with others, and eats it every night himself.
“I think when guests experience Zarak through our creative cocktails, delicious food, and warm service in a contemporary wood-and-brick setting, it feels like eating a home-cooked meal by mum at an upscale restaurant,” he says.
According to Sarwari, another interesting menu option — and one of the most popular — is the Afghan dumplings.
“Many guests have eaten dumplings from different countries but had never tried Afghan dumplings, which are paired with garlic yogurt, chilli tomato sauce, dried mint, and split pea, or kidney bean curry, so the combination of our dumplings is super intriguing.”
As the new year begins, OpenTable is hopeful that Canadians will be looking to get out and enjoy new culinary experiences.
“The number of seated diners between January and October 2022 increased to 79% compared to the same period in 2021, and 6% compared to 2019,” says Matt Davis, Open Table’s Country Director. “There is a great deal of enthusiasm for spending at local restaurants, and we expect Canadians’ desire to dine out will continue into 2023.”
As a special bonus, Daily Hive and OpenTable are giving away a $150 gift card to use at Zarak by Afghan Kitchen. Just follow Daily Hive Vancouver and OpenTable Canada on Instagram and tag your friends to enter before January 18, 2023, for a chance to win! Terms apply.
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To discover more of the Canadian restaurants on OpenTable’s Top 100 Most Beloved Restaurants 2022 list, click here.
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