First Taste of Yemeni Cuisine

Traditional fava bean stew called ful with Yemeni flatbread

There used to be Vancouver's first Yemeni restaurant in Chinatown that was strangely closed during the day. We wondered if it had any business because we never saw it open.

But then a friend did go to Saba Foods around 6pm one evening and he said it was very quiet, but two hours later the place was hopping with diners. He did rave about the food, adding one needed to bring a football team along to be able to eat the large portions of food.

The bar hasn't changed from its West days

Then in January 2024 it closed and I heard it moved to South Granville which was a surprise -- that area would have relatively high rent and would the neighbourhood welcome a restaurant like this?

Apparently so, and its loyal customers followed Saba Foods to its new location. The restaurant was started by Alwaleed Ogbah and his Chinese wife Brenda Seng, when he missed eating Yemeni food in Vancouver.

He started Saba by doing pop-ups back in 2017 and then cooked out of a commissary kitchen, and a food truck, and eventually opened the Chinatown location in 2021. 

A friend who has been there a few times took me to the latest location for lunch today, and it is where the west coast restaurant West used to be.

When I walked in, the West decor had not changed, the bar with its numerous square slots for wine bottles were there, as well as the same tables and chairs, and the felt embroidered design on the south wall.

Okra, potato and lamb stew with basmati rice

As we perused through the menu, my friend remarked the food offerings had expanded, with brunch and lunch dishes, like steak and eggs, omelettes, and chargrilled beef.

Other typical items are hummus, lamb soup, falafel, roast chicken, and kunafa for dessert, a phyllo pastry layered with cheese and soaked with a syrup.

We decided to stick to some traditional dishes, like ful, a stew of fava beans served with Yemeni flatbread, and okra and potato stew with braised lamb and basmati rice, along with some fresh lime juice.

I've had lime soda, but lime juice was a first. It arrived in a lovely shade of (lime) green, and while it was on the sweet side, it was very refreshing and had a tart finish.

The dishes arrived very quickly, but not piping hot. Both dishes were flavourful. We spooned the ful on our plates and ate it with the large, round and soft flatbread with bubbled charred marks on it. 

Meanwhile the okra had practically disintegrated into the stew with potato, with some chunks of braised lamb, accompanied with saffron rice.

Dubai chocolate with pistachio and phyllo

Owner Ogbah came by to say hi to my friend, and gave us a complimentary dessert of Dubai chocolate, a small bar made from Belgian chocolate filled with pistachio paste and delicate phyllo. It went well with small cups of Yemeni coffee that was beige in colour and had a cardamon taste.

As we were finishing lunch, Muslims began trickling into the restaurant, around 2.30pm so by the time we left an hour later it was bustling with a second round of guests. It was fascinating to see the range of diners, and that the halal food is what brought many people here.

My friend has suggested we have to come back again for the lamb haneeth or slow roasted lamb shoulder that is marinated with spices. We'll have to recruit a football team of eaters to come with us next time.

Saba Foods

2881 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC

604 358 0566