Is Ottawa the 'shawarma capital of Canada'? Council weighs in
Coun. Laura Dudas says it's time to recognize the garlicky snack as Ottawa's 'great unifier'
Tasty. Plentiful. "Unquestionably the best."
Coun. Laura Dudas is throwing down the greasy-fingered gauntlet and calling on her colleagues to help Ottawa claim the title of the "Shawarma Capital of Canada."
The Orléans West-Innes councillor was thinking of CBC's recent (mouth-watering) coverage of the delicacy when she gave notice of a motion at Wednesday's council meeting.
WATCH: 'Shawarma capital' of Canada has some juicy secrets in Blossom Park
"Our city is home to almost 200 shawarma restaurants. It's the great unifier," Dudas said. "You can go into rural communities, you can go into the downtown core, the east, the west. It honestly is everywhere and there's so many amazing families and locally owned restaurants."
She calls this an opportunity to recognize shawarma as an economic driver in the city — and its leftovers "a perfectly acceptable breakfast."
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe supports the motion, saying the city is a shawarma "hotbed."
"I often joke with my kids about all the different shawarma places that we drive by and all the different names," he told reporters after the meeting. "It's clearly a part of our culture in Ottawa and something that's special in our city."
As for their favourite spot? The politicians remained tight-lipped.
"My favourite? I'm not — I would never say," Sutcliffe demurred.
The motion was careful not to label the Middle East staple as Ottawa's "official food," with Dudas noting that there's plenty of love left over for poutine and BeaverTails, too.
It will come forward at the next scheduled city council meeting on April 3, leaving time for other cities to stake a claim.
Dudas welcomes all challengers.
"We'll take them out because frankly, I just can't imagine another city that has such amazing shawarma restaurants," she said.
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