Breadcrumb Trail Links
Local Business
“Since I took over I put in a lot of money, especially for kitchen equipment and for a computer system and fridges.”
Published Mar 25, 2025 • Last updated Mar 26, 2025 • 6 minute read
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
Montaha Isitifo, right, with her daughter Amelia, left, took over the Star of Ishtar Restaurant in Sutherland last year, completely revamping the menu in the family restaurant. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenixArticle content
Businesses and non-profit organizations regularly open and move in Saskatoon. Today, the StarPhoenix talks to Montaha Istifo, who opened Star of Ishtar Restaurant last year in Sutherland.
Istifo took over the restaurant from a previous owner and made a lot of changes, including revamping the menu and adding new ovens and fridges to serve more and different styles of food.
Article content
Article content
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
Star of Ishtar not only serves Assyrian food, but also Western, Italian and Greek. It’s a family-run family restaurant with Montha’s husband Esam creating part of the menu and their three kids all helping in the restaurant.
Some of the food selections at Star of Ishtar. Montaha Istifo took over the Star of Ishtar Restaurant in Sutherland last year, completely revamping the menu in the family restaurant. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Q: What kinds of food do you serve at Star of Ishtar Restaurant?
A: There is Middle Eastern food, but there is a lot of Western and even Italian and Greek food. There is a wide variety at our family restaurant. We have seafood, we have pizza, wraps, chicken tenders and breaded cutlets. We have chicken parmesan, lamb chop, burgers, pasta, Mexican omelette, egg salad, Caesar salad and many Assyrian options.
The Western food is all created by my husband Esam. I created the Middle Eastern menu. I know how to do Western food too, but my specialty is Assyrian.
Q: What are some of your popular menu items?
A: The Ishtar plate. It comes with three different kinds of meat — chicken tikka, beef tikka and Turkish kebab — and it’s served with bread, salad, rice and soup. You get a lot of food with our orders. And we even have Ishtar for two, so it’s cheaper, with even more food. Two people coming, instead of ordering two different things, can have this one.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Dolmas is one of our best appetizers, and is cooked in a lemony broth with fresh herbs and spices. This is famous in our Babylon and Assyrian culture. It comes with vegetables mixed with rice on stuffed grape leaves.
Q: What makes you stand out from other restaurants?
A: We make great food to serve to great people. We don’t want you to go to a restaurant where you get small food servings and then when you leave, you’re not even full. If you eat here, you’re going to go home full.
And we make everything fresh. When we cook, it has to go out the same day. If it doesn’t go, it’s garbage. And our prices are really good. Some stuff on the menu, we don’t even make money out of it.
Q: What is your background?
A: I was born in Iraq, and lived in Turkey before I moved here. I (lived) in Kindersley for five years and moved here to Saskatoon in 2005 when I had my kids.
I’ve been working in restaurants for 25 years since I came here. I started as a dishwasher and a prep cook, and then a cook. I’ve done cleaning too for almost 10 years now, cleaning small lounges and restaurants. And then I heard the Ishtar Restaurant in Sutherland was shutting down. I thought this was too bad. I didn’t want the name to go away. I told the owner I’d buy it from him. I think this was a good chance for me to start my own restaurant.
Afternoon Headlines
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
I already have a small restaurant (Rail Side Café at the CN Curling Club) but it’s only open in winter time. I used to run it with my husband and kids, but now one person can run it.
Q: Did you make some changes when you took over Star of Ishtar?
A: Since I took over I put in a lot of money, especially for kitchen equipment and for a computer system and fridges. I bought four fridges. The previous style of cooking was way different than my style. I bought a double-sized oven for pizza and different ovens for kebabs and other food. I bought new tables and chairs, and I’m going to be changing that. I am doing it a little bit slowly.
Q: Why did you choose the name, Star of Ishtar Restaurant?
A: Ishtar is a Babylon gate that was built over 2,500 years ago. A lot of people don’t know about Ishtar Gate, but it’s a famous Middle Eastern place that represents our Assyrian culture. We have many foods named Ishtar on our menu.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Q: What kind of atmosphere can people expect in your restaurant?
A: It’s a quiet and nice environment, where we always play our Turkish music. We have lions decorating our back wall. These are from the gate of Ishtar. The animals on the front window are also from the Ishtar Gate. Most of the items in the restaurant are from our culture. We have our Assyrian flag in the lounge.
Q: Do you serve breakfast?
A: We have Western traditional breakfasts with eggs and pancakes. There’s a Mexican omelette with mushrooms, onions, peppers and jalapenos with salsa and cheese. Our most popular breakfast is the Hungry Man’s. You get three eggs and beef kebab. Our breakfasts come with our own recipe Ishtar bread. It’s a common bread in Assyria.
Q: Do you have some Assyrian takes on Western food?
A: Our Ishtar burger is very popular. It’s grilled with onion and mozzarella cheese, lettuce and tomato and served with fries and Caesar salad. Our pizza is really good, too. Our Ishtar special pizza stands out because it’s cooked with shawarma meat, which is beef with different spices on it. Anything with the Ishtar name, people like it.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Q: What stands out on your drink menu?
A: We have Persian Empire Arak Saggi. It is a traditional Persian spirit, made from sultana raisins, giving it a sweet flavour. Nobody else I know of in Saskatoon has it. We have two beers on tap now, and I’m going to be bringing in more. We also have a Middle East Chai steamed tea. That tea is famous. Even people who don’t drink tea, they drink that tea.
Saggi Arak fruit spirit from Star of Ishtar. Photo by Michelle Berg /Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Q: What’s on your desert menu?
A: Our baklawa stands out. It’s a mouth-watering dessert of layered golden filo pastry with crushed nuts and a drizzle of sugar syrup.
Q: Do you have a seniors menu?
A: We did, but I made it available now not only for seniors but for everyone. There is a smaller-sized order of chicken tenders, fish n chips, Iraqi kebabs and other options. It’s a small plate with big flavour.
Q: You also offer catering services?
A: We do a lot of catering. Sometimes we do that here at the restaurant, but we can take it somewhere else. We cook everything here, and we take it there. We normally seat up to 180 here. Some people want us to serve the food, too, but others just want us to take the food. We can provide that service if needed, serving 500 or more if needed.
Advertisement 7
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
We do weddings, birthdays and engagement parties, baptisms, all kinds of celebrations. Every month there’s something going on.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Star of Ishtar Restaurant
Owner: Montaha Istifo
Address: 507 Gray Avenue
Hours: Monday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Phone: 306-979-9788
Email: istifomontaha@gmail.com
Website: www.starishtar.ca
Check:Facebook, Instagram
Read More
New Creation Esthetics provides nail, lash and other beauty services in Stonebridge
Prairie Market offers local products including fresh and frozen easy to prepare meals
Replacing You offers curated second-hand clothing at Drinkle Mall
100 per cent used Resurrected Records opens in downtown Drinkle Mall
Advertisement 8
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Have you recently started or moved a new business or non-profit organization in Saskatoon? We want to hear your story. Please email drice@postmedia.com
The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.
With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark thestarphoenix.com and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
Article content
Share this article in your social network