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Kamal has been working at shawarma stands since he was a teenager. Before arriving in Los Angeles in 2021, he was living — and making shawarma — in Venezuela, where Syrians have been migrating and creating a community since the late 19th century.
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Shawarma isn’t only for the wee hours though. The spits have been turning and the shawarma is already crisping. “The round sesame bread, which is our signature, it’s called the Bashka. We put bell peppers, mushrooms, corn, olives and it’s on the grill, with your preference of American cheese or pepperjack cheese,” he said.
THE SPOTS
Carpenter previously worked at Momed in Beverly Hills, where duck shawarma remains popular, so duck also makes an appearance on Souk Shawarma's menu. “The most popular one is the wrap, which is called in the language of Arabic the Shrak, and it’s the most traditional bread we make here,” said co-owner Mahmmod Abunijmeh. As a foodie and Milwaukee native I can honestly say this is some of the best food in the city! Quick, always delicious, and the staff is great. I eat here more than I'd like to admit, haha. For now, being paired with a liquor store gives La Cocina Mediterránea a distinct convenience in offering a drink menu more expansive than most.
Plates
New shawarma restaurant opens its doors in Brampton inBrampton - insauga.com
New shawarma restaurant opens its doors in Brampton inBrampton.
Posted: Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Located right on Melrose in the Fairfax District, they’re a total neighborhood spot, but one with food good enough to leave your neighborhood to eat. The chicken shawarma is marinated in their special house sauce and has a slight sweetness to it that separates it from other great spots in LA. You can get it with pita, baguette, or laffa, but we recommend just doing the plate. At $22, it’s definitely on the pricier side, but the portion size is massive and good for two meals, easily. Marouch has been in operation since 1982, and is one of the city's longest-standing Armenian/Lebanese restaurants. And while many people come to this Hollywood strip mall spot for their incredible mezze (the muhammara will change you), no meal is complete here without an order of their beef shawarma.
Perfectly barbecued and covered in a special house marinade, it’s sweet and salty with just the right amount of spice. When it comes to great shawarma in LA, it doesn’t get more classic than Skaf’s. The tiny, order-at-the-counter Lebanese grill in North Hollywood has been operating for almost two decades (they have a second location in Glendale as well). Both the chicken and beef shawarma are equally good in our book, so just do what we do and get the mixed plate. Be sure to throw in a cabbage salad and some stuffed grape leaves, too—both are excellent. The vertical spits are clearly the stars at Hello Shawarma, wedged between a Hello Hookah and a Hello Thai in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it mall along south Harlem Avenue.
Their flagship in Encino looks like any other fast-casual lunch counter, but the quality of the food here stands out like a pair of Crocs at a wedding. As early as 11am, a line forms out front and a majority of the people waiting are getting their beef shawarma. Order it as a hefty pita pocket and it’ll come stuffed with a generous portion of shaved, marinated meat, garlicky yogurt, and chopped tomatoes and cucumber. The beef option usually sells out by 3pm, but the equally juicy chicken shawarma is a worthy runner-up. Ta-Eem is one of those places that you’ve either never heard of, or you’ve been going to twice a week for three years.
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Is there anything better than fire-roasted, spit-shaved meat crammed into a sandwich or piled on a plate with rice, salad, and hummus? Popular theory suggests that the vertical spit arose in Turkey. Now the practice has spread all over the world, with many variations in the Middle East.
La Cocina Mediterránea carried over much of the old staples from BP Grill, but the heart of its menu is Mediterranean, which focuses on falafels, shawarma and salads. In general, eateries paired with liquor stores are a rarity in the county. A husband-and-wife duo split responsibilities between the liquor store and kitchen, respectively. On weekends Kamal keeps his business — located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine next to a tattoo studio and a juice bar; Peggy Lee’s Walk of Fame star is right in front — open until 3 a.m.
Always greeted with a friendly smile and the food is awesome!! But the falafel and kebab were also delicious. For first timers at La Cocina Mediterránea, patrons order at the restaurant counter but pay at the liquor store cashier right next to it. Andrew Faour started by opening The Pub at Chino Hills with chef Matthew Carpenter. Souk Shawarma harkens back to his heritage, complete with black and white photos of the Souk. Dad is from Zeda, Syria, and his mom is from nearby Farouzi.
Building on the Middle Eastern menu at Bavel, Saffy’s serves food worthy of a special occasion with the energy of a neighborhood spot. Getting a table at this glamorous kebab house in East Hollywood might take some work, but the thrill of eating here makes the fuss worth it. One of the dishes we always save room for is the shawarma. It’s filled with a mixture of perfectly marinated lamb and beef, neatly shaved into thin slices from a rotating wood-fired spit, then wrapped inside fresh laffa so it can be eaten sandwich-style. A bit of tomato, lettuce, tahini, spicy ajika sauce, and sumac-dusted onions are layered in for contrast—all of the textures and flavors work together like a family on a whitewater rafting excursion.
With locations in both Westwood and downtown Santa Monica, Sunnin is an LA institution and easily our favorite option for shawarma on the Westside. Both the chicken and beef are equally delicious, so try both and then fight with your friends over which is better. If you’re really hungry, definitely go with the plate (it comes with hummus, salad, rice, baba ghanouj, labneh, and soup), otherwise, the wrap is ideal for a quick meal on your lunch hour.
If we had to pick one shawarma in LA to reign supreme over its cone-shaped kin, it’s the mixed lamb and beef combo from Sincerely Syris (formerly known as Hollywood Shawarma). Thinly shaved and tender as filet mignon, each slice at this Syrian-owned spot is rich with a peppery potpourri of spices. But the real magic is how the whole thing comes together in the pan-grilled wrap—the tender meat is coated in nutty tahini for a combination that literally melts in your mouth. Hollywood Shawarma also makes fantastic chicken shawarma, and if you’re hungry, you could probably finish one of each in a sitting. This counter-service operation has a takeout window right along the Walk of Fame, with a couple of stools scattered across the sidewalk. Drop by for a quick, casual lunch or a late-night dinner steps from Hollywood and Vine.
Nackoud is also eager to remodel the kitchen and put a new falafel machine and shawarma spits to use. The bowls are served more like plates with a side of zesty fattoush salad sans pita chips to pair with a heaping of fluffy yellow basmati rice. La Cocina Mediterránea’s falafels offer a good crunch and an even better taste. They can be ordered with tacos, bowls and wraps or a la carte from six- to 24-piece options. Beef shawarma strips come tender, slightly fatty and are delectably seasoned while the chicken shawarma is juicy to the bite.
Bound by a thin but sturdy pita bread toasted on both sides, the wraps are stuffed with sour Lebanese pickle strips, French fries, pungent garlic sauce and a filing of choice inside. I’ve tried a lot of middle eastern food and it was alright. However, shawarma house is one of the only places that really stood out to me. The rice is very fluffy and full of flavor and the skewer as well. The “sampler” packs beef, chicken and falafel wraps cut in half to go along with fries, pickles, chilies and an assortment of house sauces. The tray is great for gatherings or for feeding four to five people for $30 in these inflationary times.
You choose from lamb, beef or chicken, sliced fresh. Then, either stuffed into pitas or stacked into sandwiches or rolled up in thin, lavash-like wraps. Open since 2017, Al Basch is one of the newer restaurants on this list, but when it comes to a quick, affordable meal in Hollywood, this order-at-the-counter spot on Sunset is already one of our favorites. As the name suggests, chicken is the star of the show here, and whether you’re in the mood for shawarma, kebabs, or whole chicken, Al Basch is making the best in the neighborhood. The shawarma itself has a subtle tanginess that we love, and if you order it on a plate, it comes with an excellent side of rice and salad (two things that tend to be afterthoughts at other spots). Also, get an extra side of hummus—it’s very good.
