When I moved back to Toronto after spending my college years in Montreal , one thing I couldn't figure out was why this city was relatively deprived of the falafel and shawarma (shish-taouk) experience that I had grown to love on the streets of St. Denis and The Main.

Since that time I've come to realize that my initial perceptions were ill-founded. There's plenty of spots in the city to grab great falafel-related eats; and one of the better ones is Ghazale, the small but colourful take-out spot next to the Bloor Cinema.

While the falafel and shawarma definitely hold there own, it's the myriad of platter options that are the stars here. Because the place is so popular, regular turnover helps keep the food fresh and hot. Best bests are the zucchini and eggplant offerings; and prices are cheap so it's easy to fill up for 6 bucks or less.

Here are some of the photos I took the last time I was in there:

Here's the menu:

Ghazale, 504 Bloor Street West. (next to the Bloor Cinema) 416-537-4417