MAGAZINETOLEDOT H E B L A D E , T O L E D O , O H I O S U N D A Y , D E C E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 6 S E C T I O N C , P A G E 6

By ROBERTA GEDERTBLADE STAFF WRITER

Toledo is ethnically rich, and cuisine from all around the world is a part of that prodigal culture.

With a little exploration, kitchen connoisseurs and even cooking amateurs in the Toledo area can choose from a diversity of foods when menu planning.

Or, you could let the experts do it for you. At Deepam India on West Central

Avenue, owner Revathi Chillapalli is routinely in the kitchen creating dishes from her home country. Chicken curry, samosa pastries stu� ed with potatoes, peas, spices, and fresh meals made with lentils, vegetables, and Indian yogurt are either delivered almost daily to hospital cafeterias or placed in deli cases for the public to enjoy.

“� e emphasis is on healthy eating here,” said Mrs. Chillapalli, who is a native of Visakhapatnam, or Vizag, India, and came

to the United States in 1980 as a graduate assistant at the University of Toledo. She and her husband, Siva, opened the Indian food store 12 years ago.

At the Asian Grocery, 1801 N. McCord Rd., shelves are well stocked with specialty items from Korea, Japan, Somalia, Liberia, China, Singapore, Vietnam, and other regions.

Owner Houng Dhar, who learned how to cook as a young child in Cambodia, also holds informal cooking classes in the back of the store. When she bought the store 13 years ago, she added African food choices to the Asian selections to broaden selection.

Toledo is rife with ethnic food choices. Buy smoked meats, kielbasa, bratwurst, chicken paprikas, and other homemade Hungarian dishes at Takacs, a third-generation Hungarian grocery at 1956 Genesee St., in the Birmingham neighborhood.

� row fresh fajita meat and marinated vegetables on the grill from San Marcos Mexican Grocery Store, 235 Broadway, and you have a meal.

Take on freshly baked pitas with hummus, spinach pies, grape leaves, and chicken shawarma at one of the many Mediterranean delis and bakeries in town. Abdul Hammuda expanded Tiger Bakery from a small store to a full-� edged bakery when he bought the store in 1988. � e store now o� ers about 75 items.

Sidon Lebanese Grille & Bakery, 4625 W. Bancroft St., just celebrated the anniversary of its opening at its new location, where customers can enjoy stone-� red pita bread or charcoal-grilled kebabs. Owners Bahaa Hariri and Mahmoud Hariri also opened Middle East Market next door.

Contact Roberta Gedert at:rgedert@theblade.com,

419-724-6075, oron Twitter @RoGedert.

Local markets re� ect Toledo’s blend of cultures

Global Cuisine

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Khera Asad, left, and Fikria Abedelkhalik make meat pies at Tiger Bakery in Toledo.

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Tiger Bakery employee Mohannad Alboushi makes vege-tarian grape leaves.

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Tanya Koester waits on customer Jim Bailey at Takacs Grocery & Meats.

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Pablo Orblo cuts peppers in the kitch-en at San Marcos in Toledo.

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Aazhir Sabouna shows o� a pot of biryani at Deepam India deli in Toledo.

An Indian dish on the stove at Deepam India deli.

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Elizabeth Gotay-Escalera, 16, and her mother Marilyn Escalera shop for fruit in the produce section at San Marcos.

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Hungarian fresh kolbasz is weighed at Takacs Grocery & Meats in Toledo.

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Chickpeas are added to an Indian dish at Deepam India deli.

Henry Wilkins, back, watches as Houng Dhar serves noodles to Jerry Payton during a cooking class at Asian Grocery in Toledo.

Galangal, a spice used by

Houng Dhar in her cook-

ing class.

� ai Cambodian red curry, handmade at

Asian Grocery.