What is
shawarma?
Meat marinated overnight, stacked on a vertical spit, and shaved off in thin layers as it turns. That is the whole idea. The details are where it gets good.
The short answer
Shawarma is meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and cut to order. Thin slices of marinated beef, chicken or lamb are stacked into a cone, pressed together, and set turning in front of a vertical flame. The outside roasts and caramelises; a cook shaves that outer layer off with a long knife, and the next layer takes its place.
The word comes from the Arabic shawarma, from Turkish çevirme — “turning”. That is literally the name of the technique.
What is in the marinade
This is where a shawarma stops being generic grilled meat. Ours sits overnight in cumin, coriander, cardamom, garlic, lemon and a little vinegar. The acid tenderises, the spices go all the way through instead of sitting on the surface, and the sugars in the marinade are what let the outside caramelise instead of just drying out.
Chicken and beef get different mixes. That is why ordering chicken or beef shawarma is a real choice and not just a preference for one animal.
Why the spit matters more than the recipe
You can cook the same marinated meat in a pan and it will taste fine. What you cannot get is the edge. On a vertical spit the fat renders downward through the stack, self-basting everything below it, while the face nearest the flame dries just enough to crisp. Shaving takes that crisp face off and exposes a fresh one.
Which is why a shawarma that has been sitting in a steam tray is a different food with the same name. If the meat was cut before you walked in, the edge is gone.
How it is served
- In a wrap — pita or saj bread, with pickles and garlic or tahini sauce. Chicken $9.99, beef $10.99.
- In a bowl — over rice with salad and three toppings. $12.99 to $13.99.
- On a plate, Arabic style — the full spread with bread and sides. $13.99 to $15.99.
- In tacos — $1.99 each, and closer to tacos al pastor than most people expect.
What to order the first time
Two shawarma tacos, $1.99 each. It costs less than a sandwich, you get to taste the meat without a lot of bread in the way, and you find out whether you are a chicken person or a beef person before committing to a full wrap.
If you want the full version straight away: chicken shawarma sandwich, $9.99, with garlic sauce. That is the plate this restaurant is built on.