Shawarama Bros: A Familiar Yet Innovative Mediterranean Food Concept
Everyone has a favorite shawarma joint. Ever since this Mediterranean snack hit the mainstream in the late 90’s, new places offering their own variations have been popping up. The latest one that I’ve tried is SHAWARMA BROS. They aren’t exactly new to the scene but if you haven’t tried them out, then it’s definitely worth a visit.
The branch that I tried is located in the Venice Grand Canal Mall in McKinley Hill. I looked at the menu and was pleasantly surprised by the variations in their shawarma wraps. Here, you can order the classic shawarma with your choice of protein (beef, chicken or beef kabab). This one comes with the usual meat + tomatoes and fresh greens.
You also have the option to order “French” with French fries inside the wrap or “Burrito” style with rice. I know that many of you will raise an eyebrow about having fries inside your shawarma but this is a classic preparation done in the Middle East and some parts of Europe. In fact, my dad, who lived in the Middle East for decades, always complained how shawarma in the Philippines wasn’t authentic because we didn’t put fries in them.
The burrito style has the usual shawarma flavors but it is given a Mexican twist by adding rice inside. That makes the wrap a lot more substantial. Nevertheless, their shawarmas are fairly filling even without the rice. You will definitely get more here compared to the usual shawarma stalls in the mall.
Let’s talk about the sauce. We all know that a good garlic sauce can make or break your shawarma experience. SHAWARMA BROS make their own garlic-yogurt sauce. It is very fresh and quite mild. I personally prefer my sauce to have a stronger kick of garlic. Also, they serve their sauces chilled to maintain freshness. It’s always great to have fresh sauce but I’m not a fan of putting cold sauce on warm food.
The tomato-based hot sauce here had great flavor but again, lacked a real spicy kick. There was a hint of heat but my food was already drowning in cold sauce before I could get enough spice.
A good bonus is their cheese sauce. Apart from the hot sauce and garlic, you also have the option of dousing your food in a mild cheese sauce. Everything tastes better with cheese in my opinion so why the heck not?
Let’s move on to their specialties. Believe it or not, the shawarma wrap isn’t the big crowd-pleaser here. In true Filipino fashion, the rice meals are very popular. You can have your choice of protein with a hefty serving of spiced rice, pickled onions, grilled tomatoes, shredded cabbage and kadayif (shredded crispy phyllo pastry).
Apart from the usual beef and chicken shawarma meat that you can opt to have with rice, the Persian Honey Butter Chicken is a must-try. This dish was a revelation. All of us were blown away by the sweet-savory flavor and the crispy goodness of the chicken. Definitely something you can only find here. It is reminiscent of crispy, honey-glazed chicken from Korea but with a hint of Persian spices. You have to try it to know what I’m talking about!
Another favorite is the BROTATO FRIES. The crispy, spiced french fries are topped with shawarma meat and all the usual vegetables and sides. It’s Persian Nachos married with French fries. Have it with the cheese sauce I mentioned earlier!
Overall, SHAWARMA BROS is a great place to grab a satisfying meal and give in to your Persian Food cravings. The flavors are familiar but also extraordinary at the same time. Re-live your late night food trips with the barkada with a quick shawarma run any time of the day at this place.
See their full menu and find a branch near you through their listing on Zomato: