Local restaurant finds inspiration in vegan cuisine

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 sellinghummusto University of British Columbia studentswhileShaniwas working at a friend's food truck. Soon, they decided to team up and open their own mobile eatery and called it Chickpea.

Thehummusguru

The food may be based on tradition but there are many alterations. Tal andShanimade "fries" out of chickpea flourandMediterranean spices.

Meanwhile, Tal has taken a long time to perfect his falafel recipe that is crisp on the outside and softinside.

A year and a half later,their food truckwas doing so well the pair decided to invest in a 100-seat restaurant.

You can seeTal andShaniat the Vancouver Fall Home Show on October27.

Check out all the yummy detailsin their interviewwithOur Vancouver'sGloria Macarenko.

With files from Our Vancouver.

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