20 replies to this topic

[Caramia]

This place is amazing! I treat it like a church. Despite the fact that it is right across from Our Place on Pandora, you walk inside and it is like a bubble of peace surrounds you. The owner is perhaps the nicest man I've ever met, and he goes out of his way to treat you like an honoured guest, feeding you tidbits from the olive counter (oh yes, they have an olive counter with many kinds to sample) or feta or this miraculous cheese dip...

It is both a deli and a grocery store. There are all those obscure middle eastern spices, turkish delights of various kinds, baklava, pickled stuff, different very very yummy oils, including a huge selection of olive oil.

I could go on, but really if you haven't visited it, words don't do it justice.

Enjoy!

[Nparker]

I haven't been in there in a while, but I totally concur with Caramia's comments. A wonderful establishment in a rather unfortunate location.

[Mike K.]

Does he make lamb donairs?

Just had the "gyro" at Pita Pit and couldn't taste anything other than vegetables and sauces.

[G-Man]

He does makes donair not sure if it is lamb or not. He also makes a great baba ganoush and chicken kebab wrap.

[VicHockeyFan]

It's called Blair Mart, as he used to operate at the corner of Blair/Laval and Larchwood Streets in Gordon Head.

http://foodpages.ca/...rt?ratethisgo=1

[gumgum]

OMG. I have to check this place out!

[Holden West]

With all the social problems on this block this business owner needs all the support he can get.

http://848mason.blog...iddle-east.html

[aastra]

Is "Mediterranian" a combination of Mediterranean and Iranian?

[Caramia]

No its just my crappy spelling. But it could be if you wanted!!!

/edit fixed it thanks aastra!

[aastra]

Seemed pretty clever to me.

[Caramia]

/cough

err yes.

[julienne]

I don't think Blair Mart has a terrific turnover of product judging by my recent purchases and a recent perusal of the dry goods stacked up in the back of the store.
My bag of pistachios were full of bugs as were some dry figs I bought a while back. I also spied some bags of beans in the back with moths crawling around inside.
You may want to be a bit more vigilant - or in my case - put your glasses on!

[Joseph]

I don't think Blair Mart has a terrific turnover of product judging by my recent purchases and a recent perusal of the dry goods stacked up in the back of the store.
My bag of pistachios were full of bugs as were some dry figs I bought a while back. I also spied some bags of beans in the back with moths crawling around inside.
You may want to be a bit more vigilant - or in my case - put your glasses on!

Bought plenty of dried goods from this place and never found anything like this (and I'm near-sighted ). I find it hard to believe we're talking about the same place..

[Caramia]

Same here, I've always found their produce top notch. I hope you brought it to the owner's attention, I am sure he would correct it immediately.

[osmich]

I don't think Blair Mart has a terrific turnover of product judging by my recent purchases and a recent perusal of the dry goods stacked up in the back of the store.
My bag of pistachios were full of bugs as were some dry figs I bought a while back. I also spied some bags of beans in the back with moths crawling around inside.
You may want to be a bit more vigilant - or in my case - put your glasses on!

FULL of bugs? Sounds rather extreme. Did you voice your concerns or are just telling us on here?

[victorian fan]

I love going there myself. Never had a problem with my purchases.

The owner, a Muslim, sells halal meat.

Couple of online posivite but slightly conflicting reviews.

"The owner is a very warm, friendly--progressive person--from Iran who supports peace in the Middle East and will take posters in his window for all progressive events. He loves to give samples of his pistachio
sweets. His wife is a physician, but cannot practice here because of the professional restrictions."


"I'd like to add Blair Mart Mediterranean Middle Eastern Foods as a great source for all things Middle eastern They make wondeful gyro sandwiches made with fresh lamb-delicious and a real bargain!
The store is full of figs, cheeses, olive oils, breads...fantatstic selection and the owner is just the nicest guy. He is a trained doctor from Dubai and has woked for Doctors without Borders for years. He is unable to practice medicine here in Canada which is such a shame."

[G-Man]

I think he told me he was from Dubai...

[Zanjabil]

I am a loyal customer of the Blair Mart, and I get most of my ethnic products from here. The guy (that you always see in there at the till) is not the owner, he just works there. I commented on his amazing hummus years ago and he told me that Thrifty's offered him a deal to sell them the recipe and to produce it for their stores (for a heck of a good chunk of money) but he declined.

He lived in Dubai for a few decades but is originally from Baluchistan, Pakistan. His wife is from Iran and he speaks Farsi as well.. I often see them advertising for the Noroz party they are involved in.

They have amazing sangak (persian flatbread with spices) and gaz!

[peanutflower]

does that mediterranean market sell kaffir lime leaves do you know? Does anyone? And galangal -- is there an asian grocery around that carries this kind of stuff?

[Kikadee]

does that mediterranean market sell kaffir lime leaves do you know? Does anyone? And galangal -- is there an asian grocery around that carries this kind of stuff?

Funny you ask, peanutflower! I was hunting for those very same things when I set out to make tom ga kai (Thai chicken coconut soup) last weekend. There'd been a VV thread about Thai restaurants, and I just couldn't take it anymore, I HAD to make some !

The recipe calls for tamarind, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, etc. So I went to the Filipino Grocery on Quadra & Tolmie (beside the Italian Bakery) thinking I'd find the stuff there. (Either there or in Chinatown, which was Plan B.) The owner was very pleasant, but his store carried none of those items. He recommended I go to Fairway Markets.

Sure enough, I found dried galangal and dried kaffir lime leaves in packets, side by side, and a little block of tamarind, lemongrass in the produce section, all the rest I had at home. I'm making tom ga kai again this weekend, you betcha