The City got its present name in 1882, when it was renamed in honour of the then reigning Monarch, Queen Victoria, Regina being the Latin word for Queen. In recent years, immigrants and Canadians from other provinces have been flocking to Regina, owing to Saskatchewan’s oil boom. Although the Province is currently reeling from a sudden slump in world oil prices, the City is potentially transforming itself into a diverse multi-cultural scene. Recent arrivals include Canadians and newcomers of East African descent.
Wherever a legion of East Africans descends on a Canadian City, the famously delicious Somali cuisine quickly finds traction in the culinary world of its new surroundings. It is therefore no accident that a popular, Somali-Canadian eatery has established a visible presence at the heart of downtown Regina.
Located at the busy downtown intersection of Broad Street and 11th Avenue, the Wascana Donair and Shawarma Family Restaurant offers authentic African and Middle Eastern cuisine that is attracting a clientele of diverse background. Opened in January 2013, the Restaurant and its management have built a reputation of serving mouth-watering, succulent dishes to the utter delight of its appreciative clientele.
“We strive to stay in the middle so as to meet the needs of a multi-cultural clientele savoring for a manifold of tastes” stated a smiling Saadia while speaking to Digital Journal’s Farid Abdulhamid at the popular joint situated at 1751 Broad Street. The Restaurant’s menu includes rice, known globally to be the primary staple food of Somalia, the Middle East, the Indian Sub-continent and much of the Far East.
In line with Islamic dietary needs, “everything served in the restaurant follows the halal brand” noted Saadia.
“We will maintain the same flavour but plan to introduce new additions in the near future” said Saadia adding that “business is always thriving in the summer months.”
In terms of meat entrees, patrons are treated to tasty Beef and Chicken Shawarma wraps and Grilled Chicken. The menu also includes an assortment of kabob dishes such as Chicken and Beef Kabob as well as Lamb and Beef Donairs. For snack lovers, the restaurant serves samosas, which is a fried or baked pastry with savory fillings such as ground beef or spiced veggies. There is also an array of cold beverages to wash down the flavorsome dishes.
Unlike other joints in the downtown vicinity, patrons walking through the doors of Wascana Family Restaurant get good value for their money as the well-liked establishment provides utterly delicious, well-priced, filling meals. This is in line with traditional Somali hospitality that emphasises absolute generosity and above all, customer satisfaction.
“The Somali and Middle Eastern people mostly like rice and this restaurant is known for its large food portions compared to other eateries in the area. People appreciate the generous amount of portions served here as well as the unique taste of highly filling shawarma wraps” said Mama Amina.
“The rice served here is uniquely so tasty in that people have gotten hooked to it and keep coming for more. What do you put in your rice? They often ask in wonderment. In fact we use fine spices from back home, Somalia, to add a unique taste to the food served to the public” stated Mama Amina.
According to Saadia, customers can order food online by clicking on www.skipthedishes/regina. They’ll then be prompted to enter their address and Wascana Restaurant’s name.
Maintaining excellent customer relations is critically important to the management of the restaurant.
“Everyone is welcome here. We offer a friendly environment to all customers” noted Saadia.
A young customer concurs with her.
“Their policy is to provide a non-discrimination environment to all clients. They welcome everyone with open arms” observed the youthful customer.
The restaurant is open to the public Mondays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m..
For more info, the restaurant can be reached at: (306) 757-3300.
