Donair Affair

A donair is a simple piece of street food, and like most simple things it either gets done properly or misses the point. Donair Affair takes its name from that specialty and serves it from 2540 Mary Hill Road, on the Mary Hill side of Port Coquitlam. It is the sort of independent restaurant people choose when they want a quick meal that still comes with a familiar face behind the counter.

For the uninitiated, a donair is seasoned beef roasted on a spit and carved thin, wrapped in a warm pita with tomato and onion and finished with the sweet, garlicky sauce that is the signature of the style. The format has its roots in Halifax, and shops that make it well treat the spit, the sauce and the press of the wrap as matters of pride. Independent counters of this kind live on their regulars: people who know what they want, order it quickly and judge the place by whether it tastes the same every single time.

Before visiting, a phone call can confirm hours and whether the kitchen takes orders over the phone. First-timers can also ask what comes with the standard order, since donair shops each do things a little differently, and regulars are usually happy to point a newcomer toward their own usual.