In the corner unit of a quiet south-end strip mall, just a few doors down from a barbershop and a cigar store, Mr. Kabab is quietly turning out some of the best Syrian kebabs in the city. Not far along the same stretch are two more restaurants—a Yemeni spot and an Egyptian one—which makes this particular strip mall a must-visit for anyone looking to eat the strip. Mr. Kabab opened just two months ago, and it already feels like a hidden gem waiting to be found.

Mr. Kabab is simple inside. Four tables, grey-painted walls with marble trim, and a single fan that doesn’t do much to cool the room but does succeed in circulating the delicious scent of grilled lamb, tomato, and onion. I grab a seat by the breeze and take it all in.

At the counter, I ask about the lamb—it catches my eye immediately. The wrap version is an easy $10, but I’m hungry, so I opt for the lamb kabab meal ($17) and choose rice as my side. I also notice that lamb and chicken are the same price, which is unusual. In most places, lamb carries a premium. Here, it’s treated with the same casual generosity as chicken. That alone says something.

The food arrives fresh off the grill. The lamb is tender, juicy, and full of garlic-forward flavour. The spice blend is gentle, subtle—maybe cumin? coriander?—but it works beautifully. The meat sits on a bed of parsley and onions, which add a burst of freshness and crunch to every bite. A side of grilled tomato and roasted onion rounds out the plate, adding sweetness and a slight char that plays off the meat’s richness.

They also bring over a few sauces, including some of the best baba ganoush and muhammara I’ve had in Ottawa. The baba is creamy and smoky, while the muhammara is thick, spicy, and slightly oily in the best way. Their take is clearly a house variation—deeper, bolder, and with more heat than usual. I love it.

After the meal, I have a chance to speak with Hazem, the owner. He worked in his father’s restaurant in Saudi Arabia before moving to Canada in 2018, and opened Mr. Kabab just two months ago to showcase the food of his hometown, Hama. Known throughout Syria for its BBQ, Hama is a city where grilled meats are taken seriously—and it shows here. Hazem tells me the key to their food is simple: a short list of spices and really good meat. No shortcuts, no skimping.

The restaurant is still new, but already has loyal customers. And it’s not hard to see why. There’s care in every bite of this food, and a quiet confidence in how it’s presented—no frills, just flavour.

The smell of charcoal takes me back to my childhood in Old Delhi, where street-side grills perfumed the air in the early evenings. The kebabs here are different, but they share the same purpose: to bring people together over food that’s deeply rooted in tradition, yet made to be enjoyed right now, in the heart of south Ottawa.