We (and our wallets) feel like it's been a while since we've reviewed something in the 'cheap eats' category. To rectify this, we decided to grab some lunch at Jerusalem Shawarma in Royal Oak. This is now Jerusalem Shawarma's third location. Their delicious middle eastern fare is also available on 16th Ave. and Country Hills Landing. You'll never be too far away from one the next time you're craving something smothered in garlic sauce (trust us, that's a beautiful thing!).
We each ordered one of their plates, but with a different kind of meat. We must admit that V messed up her order a bit. She intended to get one of them as a wrap so that we would get to try different dishes. But alas, the menus were misread and we ended up with two platters. We'll survive - because they were delicious! Each plate comes with a very generous helping of spiced rice, Greek salad, hummus, and garlic potatoes. For meat, V got the Chicken Shawarma meat, and P got the mixed BBQ that included a Shish Taouk chicken skewer and a delicious Beef Kebab. It's all topped with a wonderfully savoury tahini (sesame) sauce. P got his smothered in hot sauce, too. He likes to live dangerously like that.
The favourite of all the meats we tried was the Beef Kebab. It was tremendously tender. The meat was wonderfully seasoned with warm spices and fresh herbs. It was simply awesome! The chicken was a bit dry for P's taste, but the Beef Kebab redeemed it all. The hummus that came with our meals was fantastic too, and adding a little bit to each bite also added so much flavour and texture. Also perfect for dipping pita bread into!
Our star of the meal were the absolutely divine garlic potatoes. There's just something so special about well cooked middle eastern potatoes, and these ones were the best we have ever had. Move aside Opa!, there's a new king for the tater throne! Jerusalem Shawarma's potatoes have this deliciously tangy crust that sends your taste buds to flavour heaven. And to top it all off, the dollop of thick, rich garlic sauce sent these potatoes to new heights. It's worth a trip there simply for the potatoes! Speaking of carbs, the rice was pretty darn great as well. It was rich and flavourful, perfectly cooked and hard to resist. Running a marathon and carb loading (or just carb loading for fun)? The potatoes and rice are a winning combination!
One of the other fun things about Jersualem Shawarma are the fun imported beverages. One option was the Ayran Yogurt Drink. It was a deliciously thick, sour and savoury yogurt beverage that complemented the meal perfectly. We also opted for a canned peach juice that tasted so... well... peachy. It was almost like having it freshly pressed!
We were quite full by the end of our meals - the portions on the plates were just massive! That said, there's always room for baklava. Pro tip: We didn't see any on the counter, but we asked the staff, and lo and behold, two delicious pieces appeared. They may have taken pity on us after we spent so much time taking photos that our meals got cold, and they gave these to us on the house. Hey, we'll take it! The pastry was deliciously flaky, just like you'd expect from good baklava. The highlight, however, was the sugar syrup. It wasn't overly sweet and it was flavoured with rose, which added so much delicate fragrance to the dish. Awesome finish!
V's Final Word: When you want a Shawarma Wrap, say you want a Shawarma Wrap. People can't read your mind (thank goodness!). But if you don't get a wrap, you get a plate with the potatoes. So you win either way!
P's Final Word: Next time I might opt for the donair meat, which looked so tantalizing spinning around on the spit. Mmmm... Rotating meat...
Price: $35 for two filling plates and two beverages.
Website: http://jerusalemshawarma.net
Address: 8650 112 Ave NW #6116, Calgary, AB