Xmas in Halifax - Donairs

The seafood in Halifax is wonderful, and there will soom be a post detailing our feasts upon the crustaceans and molluscs of Nova Scotia... but let's start with Donairs, shall we?



Halifax Donairs are the stuff of legends. There is something about that spicy meat and creamy sweet sauce that can't be duplicated outside of Metro Halifax. The night we flew into town, Jeff insisted on stopping for donairs on the way home from the airport. His loving mother dutifully drove in circles in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour until we found a suburban shop still open at 1:30 am. Dino's two for one, I believe.


So what constitutes a Halifax Donair? This is what Wikipedia says:

The meat in this version of the döner kebab (Halifax donair, as it is sometimes referred to) is sliced from a loaf cooked on a vertical spit, made from a combination of ground beef, flour or bread crumbs, and various spices, while
the sauce is made from evaporated milk, sugar, vinegar, and sometimes garlic.
The meat and sauce are served rolled in pita bread with diced tomato and onion. This version is generally so packed with ingredients, that the pita is almost there for ceremonial purposes; the pita of any true Haligonian donair will be so soaked in sauce that attempts to pick it up will be fruitless.

They're not kidding about the 'don' t pick it up' part. This particular donair comes to us courtesy of Robert's Pizza and Donairs on Windmill Road in Dartmouth. They're kind of known for their over-the-top huge donairs. (Put it this way - Jeff could only eat about 1/2 of the large donair).

An offshoot of the donair is the donair pizza. You get your donair meat, your onions and tomatoes, your cheese - and then you smother donair sauce all over it. Kinda gross, but kinda yummy, especially after a few beers at the Seahorse Tavern...

(This pie comes courtesy of Alexandria's Pizza on Queen.)

Next post: Seafood heaven.