It is too much for most people. So they try to stick with the first decent-enough restaurant they find. We tried to make the task easier for people who eat Halal food and live in Toronto by breaking down each element they should look into that affect their experience of dining in a Halal restaurant.
Hygiene is the first priority
If there is even a slim chance of getting sick by eating in a restaurant, no matter how good the food is, you should not go there. Paying close attention to a few details in a restaurant should tell you what you need to know about the hygiene of the place. First of all, you should be able to check the kitchen out if you want. If a place does not let you see their kitchen, it is a good reason to doubt the hygiene of the place. There are some things outside of the kitchen that you should be paying attention to when you go to a restaurant, too. The cleanliness of the tables, the cutlery, and the look of the staff are good indicators of how cleanly a place operates.
You should be served fresh, high-quality ingredients
The ingredients are, obviously, the most important factor that contribute to the quality of the food. Using fresh ingredients is a must in a good restaurant’s kitchen. The meat and the vegetables should be brought in daily and other ingredients should be used way ahead of the expiration date. In terms of Halal food, you should make sure that the ingredients, most importantly the meat, are actually Halal.
Good chef makes good food
If you hand your fresh, high-quality ingredients to an experienced, skilled chef, who has high standards and knowns how to manage their staff, you will end up with great food. So if you saw a chaotic atmosphere when checking out the kitchen, chances are you are not going to be served great food. In a Halal restaurant, a chef should also know the best substitutes for the alcoholic and non-Halal ingredients of different dishes.
You should dine in a relaxing atmosphere
The behavior of the staff can heavily influence your experience in a restaurant. A charming, friendly waiter who gives you enough time to decide and explains everything patiently is the difference between a great night out and a disappointing one.
Another contributing factor in the atmosphere of a place is the décor and the ambiance. The lightening of the restaurant should be on point, the decoration should not be overwhelming and the place should be big enough for the number of customers they have. You do not want to dine in a crowded place where you can barely hear yourself and your orders arrive late.
Go somewhere that you get your money’s worth
Having a fair price shows the attitude of the place, too. The fair price is not always the lowest one for a good restaurant, but you have to make sure the place does not overcharge you for the sake of getting to be known as a fancy and high-end place. The portion of the food as well as its quality and the service you get should be in accordance with the price.
Accessibility is important, too
So many times you go to a place that is not near any public transport means and you know you will not find a parking spot near it because “the food is great”. But the mental toll it takes to handle these situations really affects your mood. A great restaurant should be accessible conveniently via different means of transportation.
The overall service
The convenience of your dining in a restaurant is hugely affected by the overall service. That means how early you food arrives, how many payment options you get, how quickly your order is taken, how often you get a refill on your drinks, and how often you are checked on to see if you need anything. These, all together, have a significant influence on your experience.
Check out the online reviews
Many of these factors are reviewed by people on reliable platforms like Google, Zomato, halalzilla and Yelp that you should check out. Even just checking the ratings and not reading the reviews could give you a decent idea of what to expect of a place.
Haida Sandwich might just be the place for you
We looked into some Halal restaurant in Toronto and based on all these factors, we think Haida Sandwich is up there with the best and you should give it a try. But certainly you can check for yourself and find other good places, too.
