There’s a particular kind of excitement that comes from turning into a commercial complex and realizing there are probably a dozen stories hiding behind the business signs.

I know this complex well. You turn into the Ottawa Business Park and make your way through a collection of businesses that, from the outside, might not exactly scream culinary destination. Danielle asks me if it’s the same complex as Sabaya Shack. I nod yes, which is usually a good sign. We’ve featured a few spots here and they’ve all knocked it out of the park. As we drive further into the commercial area, a spattering of business signs competes for real estate, each one quietly telling a city that may not always realize it that some seriously delicious gems lie inside. There’s even a mechanic shop next door that once saved us in a pinch when we had some tire trouble a few years ago.

Our destination this time is Sinbad Grill and Bakery, an Iraqi kebab-forward restaurant at 2285 St. Laurent Blvd. The second you walk through the door, you smell the food. There’s a counter displaying stews, marinated meats, breads and other treats, while a large television cycles through the menu. A very gregarious man greets us and helps us figure out what to order. The dining room is simple, with three tables and air conditioning, and on this September long weekend, that’s more than enough.

We decide on the half-kilo family meal, which comes with meat skewers, tandoor bread, hummus, garlic, mutabal, coleslaw, pickles, grilled onions and tomatoes. It is a lot of food, and thankfully, we came hungry.

We scoop up pieces of lamb and beef kebab and dip them into the hummus and mutabal. The dips are creamy and wholesome, while the meat is warm and perfectly cooked. There’s something wonderfully simple about the combination of grilled meat, Iraqi bread, creamy dips and the crunch of fresh vegetables. The bread is especially good, with that unmistakable tandoor flavour and smokiness that makes it hard to stop tearing off another piece.

Danielle describes the meal as homey and unassuming, and I think that’s exactly right. After a long weekend of heavier food, poutine included, we were particularly happy with the fresh ingredients, the grilled onions and tomatoes and that summertime char. The homemade eggplant and hummus were delicious, but the mutabal deserves an honourable mention for just how creamy it was.

It also reminded us that Ottawa’s kebab scene continues to grow in interesting directions. We’ve eaten our way through plenty of versions of the dish in this city, each reflecting the people and places that brought them here, and Iraqi kebabs are another important piece of that tapestry.

I spoke with Mustafa Aldalawi, one of the co-owners, about Sinbad and what makes the food Iraqi. He tells me they do it the Iraqi way, particularly when it comes to the kebab, where lamb and the fat are an important part of what makes it different from other styles.

Sinbad has only been open for eight or nine months, and the location hasn’t necessarily made things easy. There isn’t a constant stream of foot traffic here, so Google and word of mouth have played a big role in getting people through the door. Mustafa says the restaurant’s 4.8 rating has brought him a lot of customers, while catering has become another major part of the business, with Sinbad serving anywhere from 100 to 200 people at a time.

Mustafa is from Baghdad and came to Canada around 12 years ago. Before Sinbad, he owned a pizza restaurant, which he sold during the pandemic. What seems to make him particularly happy now is seeing people from outside the Middle Eastern community become regular customers.

A lot of people not even from the Middle East became my customer, he says.

And that’s one of the things food does best. You don’t need to share a culture or a background to appreciate a well-made kebab, especially when it arrives with warm bread, creamy dips and fresh vegetables that you can scoop up with your hands.

You could easily drive through this complex without giving it a second thought, on your way to fix your car, pick something up or get through your workday, without ever knowing there’s an Iraqi kitchen tucked inside. But that’s part of what makes these places worth seeking out. The signs may compete for attention outside, but once you walk through the door at Sinbad, the smell of the kebabs does the convincing for you.

We paid just over $30 for the family meal and ate until it felt like food was coming out of our ears. For that price, the amount of food you get is incredible, and it’s another reminder that some of Ottawa’s best meals are hiding in the places you might otherwise drive right past.

Ottawa’s kebab scene is already rich and vibrant, but there’s always room for another tradition at the table. Sinbad brings Iraqi kebabs into that conversation, and after eating our way through this family meal, I’m very glad we found it.