Local restaurant finds inspiration in vegan cuisine
Two men put passion and character into recipes inspired by their homeland
They were lured to Vancouver for its beauty, outdoor adventure, and healthy lifestyle, but both Itamar Shani and Rotem Tal missed the bold flavours of their home country's cooking.
They bonded over their Israeli favourites and didn't find anything quite as good as they remembered it back home.
Tal started making and selling hummus to University of British Columbia students while Shani was working at a friend's food truck. Soon, they decided to team up and open their own mobile eatery and called it Chickpea.
The hummus guru
The food may be based on tradition but there are many alterations. Tal and Shani made "fries" out of chickpea flour and Mediterranean spices.
Meanwhile, Tal has taken a long time to perfect his falafel recipe that is crisp on the outside and soft inside.
A year and a half later, their food truck was doing so well the pair decided to invest in a 100-seat restaurant.
You can see Tal and Shani at the Vancouver Fall Home Show on October 27.
Check out all the yummy details in their interview with Our Vancouver's Gloria Macarenko.
With files from Our Vancouver.