Dubai: One little, "I like shawarmas", and I was suddenly agreeing to eat nothing but this traditional meal for a week as part of a report on the bread-meat wrap.
When I told people about my little experiment I was not met with enthusiasm.
Nonetheless I started my week on Sunday, February 6. I decided to stick close to home and stopped at a little restaurant called the Food and Drink Cafeteria behind the Mall of the Emirates. As I waited for my order I asked the man at the cash counter what was in one. He told me they were made of pita bread, meat — usually chicken or mutton — and garlic paste. This particular restaurant added a little lettuce and some onions to the mix. A nice combination and the fact they were so fresh made them even better.
On my second day I ordered from Al Safadi on Shaikh Zayed Road. This was the restaurant that first introduced me to French fries in a wrap. Though not something I would normally go for, they added a new taste and texture to the shawarma.
Invigorating
After work I headed for Al Mallah in Satwa. I was tired and didn't really relish the idea of venturing far from home in search of food, but the sites and sounds around the restaurant were invigorating. So, I picked up my order and wandered around while enjoying my meal. I really liked the shawarmas there. They used pickles and the garlic paste had a nice zing to it that really brought everything together.
On day three I ordered from Saj Express off Shaikh Zayed Road. Though they added both French fries and pickles, I found their shawarma bland.
That evening I headed for Reef bakery on Al Wasl Road after a colleague's suggestion, only to find out that they didn't serve shawarma and that it was the little restaurant serving Arab cuisine next door that sold them. The food was good. On day four I convinced my colleagues that we should all try Istanbul Flower, off Shaikh Zayed Road. It was by far my favourite. They used a type of Turkish flat bread and it tasted amazing, fresh, juicy and with a whole new flavour.
By the final day I must admit that I was a little tired of eating nothing but shawarmas. I ordered from Zaatar W Zeit off Shaikh Zayed Road. Theirs was a modern take on this classic. Made with thick pita bread, tomatoes, cheese, chicken and garlic sauce, it was a very nice deviation.
Though I have no desire to eat another shawarma anytime in the near future, my experiment was a great way to try local cuisine and get out and see the city.
Expert says
To get a nutritionist's opinion on my little experiment I spoke with Kathleen Farren, lifestyle coach for zest4life.
She said: "I would never recommend a diet like that or one where the basis is just a sandwich. To have too much of anything is monotonous and just a little boring. Your body needs a little variety for it to stay interested and get all the necessary vitamins and minerals. You definitely need more than just grains in your diet and I would recommend you have meat twice a week, not twice a day. You need a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day as well. They're fine as an alternative to fast food, but maybe limit eating them to once every couple of weeks."
