Shawarma: Unwrapping the UAE's favourite street food

As the Abu Dhabi sun goes down, the heat turns up in Zain Al Sham. On the corner of a street known as Al Yahar in a congested cluster of Khalidiyah, a four-man team operating the small shawarma restaurant is gearing up for the first wave of evening diners.

With worshippers exiting the neighbouring mosque after maghrib prayers and the street beginning to load up with dinner traffic, staff ensure their cooking stations are ready to go.

Meat is shaved off the spit to make shawarma at Zain Al Sham in Khalidiyah

Meat is shaved off the spit to make shawarma at Zain Al Sham in Khalidiyah

The beef and chicken on rotating vertical spits receive an extra burst of flame, providing an added crispiness to the exterior.

Pickles, onions and parsley are finely chopped and tubs of the in-house garlic sauce are full and on the right side of tangy.

While it all looks and smells delicious, Jordanian manager Samer Al Soutari says each shawarma sold is another step towards survival.

“We have been open for six months now and, praise to God, we have been very well received so far,” he tells The National.

“We are in a neighbourhood considered to be one of the street food centres of Abu Dhabi, so the competition here is high and we need to keep delivering quality always.”

While Al Yahar Street is considered a foodies' paradise, Al Soutari also knows it’s not for faint-hearted entrepreneurs.

Zain Al Sham opened earlier this year on a popular street food block in Khalidiyah

Zain Al Sham opened earlier this year on a popular street food block in Khalidiyah

Located off Airport Road, the two-kilometre strip is part of an area known as Darat Al Miyah, named after the water authority government department based in the neighbourhood decades ago.

Buzzing with successful stores like the House of Tea, renowned for their flaky parathas, and Khafayef Pastry, serving the Egyptian street food staple koshari, it’s also a graveyard of failed businesses - many of which happen to be shawarma restaurants.

Across the road in what residents call "the silver building", lie the skeletons of two former shawarma joints.

One was called Al Shater Hassan, which closed down after less than a year in 2021.

The reign of Kings Shawarma nearby also ended last year, its vast space is now occupied by a cafe.

Zain Al Sham serves Syrian-style shawarma in saj bread

Zain Al Sham serves Syrian-style shawarma in saj bread

However, Al Soutari is not perturbed by such dreary reminders.

“I can only speak for what we do and that’s trying to focus on quality,” he says.

“We make a standard Syrian style of shawarma, which is basically the same ingredients that you expect but with saj bread.

“We are really not reinventing the meal, but trying to perfect it as much as we can.

“This means fresh ingredients, a good marination and a smile on our face. A shawarma is a simple food but it gives you a great feeling when it’s served right.”

A short history of the shawarma

While it is difficult to source an official history that traces the shawarma's arrival in the Gulf, the consensus is the sandwich made its way to the Arab world from Turkey in the 20^th century.

The name shawarma comes from the Turkish word cevirme, meaning "turning".

Now the Turks call the dish doner kebab, which translates to "turning kebab".

A shawarma stand in Al-Marje, Damascus, Syria, in the early 1900s. Photo: Public Domain

A shawarma stand in Al-Marje, Damascus, Syria, in the early 1900s. Photo: Public Domain

Other countries and cultures have since added their own spin to the classic sandwich.

Brought to Mexico by Turkish, Iraqi and Lebanese immigrants, the Latin American country created its own version called tacos al pastor using corn tortillas instead of bread.

The kebab was renamed the gyro in Greece and was served with tzatziki (a tangy yoghurt dip), tomato, onion and fried potatoes.

The Middle Eastern variant, the shawarma, is a simpler concoction with an emphasis often on the meat rather than accompaniments.

A restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, serving shawarma in the 1950s. Photo: Public domain

A restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon, serving shawarma in the 1950s. Photo: Public domain

Eaten mostly with pitta or saj bread, shaves of beef are placed on top of a bed of tahini (grounded sesame seeds) sauce, onions, parsley and turnips.

The chicken variety differs with its use of garlic paste and French fries in the filling.

While these flavour fundamentals have been preserved, some UAE restaurants have managed to evolve the classic dish in colourful ways.

The Greek method

Greece may be thousands of kilometres away from the UAE, but its tastes and smells can be found in Khalidiyah.

BBQ Shawarma, which opened five years ago, is the only restaurant on the Al Yahar strip with a horizontal spit.

BBQ Shawarma is known for preparing shawarma in the Turkish style, where the meat spit is grilled horizontally rather than vertically

BBQ Shawarma is known for preparing shawarma in the Turkish style, where the meat spit is grilled horizontally rather than vertically

Often found in Greek restaurants serving gyros, the format is said to provide more consistent cooking of the meat and is meant to be easier to slice.

“When we decided to bring a shawarma restaurant here we knew we had to find a different concept,” says Syrian manager Khalid Mohammed.

“We didn’t want to go crazy with different toppings.

“When restaurants do that sometimes it makes you wonder whether they are trying to disguise the quality of the meat. We wanted to find a way to make sure the meat is the star of the show.”

The result is a “barbecue shawarma” concept, where the meat is cooked on a bed of burning coals instead of an open flame.

The meat at BBQ Shawarma is grilled over coals giving it a smoky flavour

The meat at BBQ Shawarma is grilled over coals giving it a smoky flavour

The shawarma is smoky, the meat portion is generous and contains minimal standard toppings.

“What you are tasting is the meat cooked properly,” he says.

“Because it’s a horizontal spit it is also not very oily as the fat simply falls onto the coal immediately.

“On a vertical spit, all that fat rolls down the rest of the meat first before it’s removed.

“It’s that excessive oil and fat that makes a shawarma feel heavy and uncomfortable.”

The Mexican

Soleiman Haddad knows all about striking balance in food.

As founder of Dubai’s Michelin-starred restaurant Moonrise, the acclaimed Syrian-French chef created an omakase menu featuring technically demanding dishes such as Syrian sumac and Hamachi sashimi, in which the fish is painstakingly aged and cured before being served with a sauce made from the pureed skins of Sicilian lemons.

The spicy Mexican shawarma from Al Farooj Fresh in Al Satwa, Dubai

The spicy Mexican shawarma from Al Farooj Fresh in Al Satwa, Dubai

After a 12-hour day in a kitchen serving diners a set menu of Dh850 per head, he prefers to have a Dh10 dinner at his local shawarma shop Al Farooj Fresh in Al Satwa.

More than the convenience, Haddad chooses the pokey establishment for its signature spicy Mexican shawarma.

It has all the elements of a standard chicken shawarma but the meat is marinated with a range of spices – including turmeric, pureed chillies, garam masala, garlic and yoghurt – and topped with a creamy and hot garlic sauce.

Despite its name, the sandwich is actually inspired by Indian cuisine, according to Haddad.

Al Farooj Fresh's Mexican shawarma is a favourite of acclaimed chef Soleiman Haddad

Al Farooj Fresh's Mexican shawarma is a favourite of acclaimed chef Soleiman Haddad

"It has the red colour and characteristics of a tandoori chicken sandwich that you can find in Indian cafeterias in the UAE, but we basically 'Levant-fied' it by adding some of our Middle Eastern ingredients,” he says.

“Now as a chef, I have tried to make this shawarma myself and I never really nailed it. I mean, you don’t need a degree to learn how to do it but it takes time because it is its own craft of street food.

“I don’t try to analyse and break down the flavour profile of each bite and just enjoy what it is.

“But if I have to define what makes a great Mexican shawarma, it is the sauce and seasoning.”

Shawarma nights

Both of these elements are not a concern at Flavors Grill in Abu Dhabi.

Located near Zayed Port, this high-end steak restaurant introduced its own lavish take on the shawarma by using a spit of Wagyu meat.

Served every Monday and named the Shawarma Wagyu Gold Bar, it is served as a platter with salads and bread on the side; prices start at Dh150 for 150g of shaved beef.

Every Monday night is 'Wagyu Shawarma Night' at Flavors Grill in Abu Dhabi

Every Monday night is 'Wagyu Shawarma Night' at Flavors Grill in Abu Dhabi

For such an exclusive product, founding Syrian chef Nabeel Hassan says nothing is wasted.

“An average-sized spit using around 35kg will give you about 6,000 slices of meat,” he says.

“Because it is a premium meat and the customers are knowledgeable about its quality, we serve it honestly.

“That means no secret spices or anything like that. It’s just meat and sprinkled with some salt and pepper.”

Flavors Grill’s shawarma evenings are part of a wider trend of fine-dining establishments adopting the humble staple, says Mansour Memarian.

The former executive chef turned manager of the lavish Palazzo Versace Dubai resort says some of the snobbery pointed at general street food by high-end restaurants has thawed over the past two decades.

“Years ago I used to work for what was considered the best Italian restaurant in Germany, and if you went there and asked for a pizza the chef would have thrown you out," he says.

Flavors Grill serves shawarma using premium Wagyu meat

Flavors Grill serves shawarma using premium Wagyu meat

“Now, if you go to any big Italian restaurants you will often find a pizza and risotto on the menu.

“So the mindset has changed and chefs now really see the culinary and emotional value of bringing these dishes to their venues.

“It’s the same with shawarma here in the UAE. You will now find it in the menus of many exclusive hotels and restaurants.

“But that doesn’t mean they are just serving the same version you will find in street food restaurants.

“Most of the time the dish is either recreated in a new way or refined further.”

Choosing the latter route, the Palazzo Versace created its own shawarma station as part of Oumsiya, Tales of Arabia, a weekly themed dinner at the in-house restaurant Giardino every Friday.

In addition to the chicken and lamb spits, customers can choose a range of toppings including cherry, purple and green tomatoes, pickled and fresh cabbage and various chillies.

Flavors Grill is one of many restaurants beginning to embrace and serve a more refined version of shawarma

Flavors Grill is one of many restaurants beginning to embrace and serve a more refined version of shawarma

“The advantage that hotels have when it comes to serving shawarmas is the financial ability to get the best available product consistently, as well as time,” Memarian says.

“Because we serve shawarma every week, we also have the ability to be patient when we marinate the meat, which is about 24 to 36 hours in advance. This ensures the meat has the best flavour and character.

“When you don't have the time and you are too busy, you tend to over-spice the meat and that ultimately harms the product.”

And the best part of all is the interaction between the diner and the spit-master.

“We take these things for granted such as those wonderful little discussions we have with the chef as they make our shawarma in front of us,” Memarian says.

“For us living here, it’s a normal thing and part of the experience. But if you are a tourist it is exciting because of that little bit of theatre.”

Shawarmas of the future

That drama even comes with a classic soundtrack at Zaroob on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road.

Festooned with images of classic movie stars like Omar Sharif and Soad Hosny and playing vintage songs by the likes of Umm Kulthum and Dalida, the funky restaurant chain is blending the past with present – and perhaps the future – with its new vegan shawarma.

Zaroob serves a vegan version of the shawarma

Zaroob serves a vegan version of the shawarma

Launched last year and using vegan patties from California company Impossible Foods, it is available as a sandwich with saj bread or as a platter.

General manager Eli Saade says the move is meant to appeal to a new group of diners familiar with Levant cuisine.

"The idea of the shawarma has really transcended food and has become an integral part of Middle Eastern culture," he says.

“Getting a shawarma can be a social event and a gathering of family and friends.

“As someone who lived in the Arab world all my life, I take it for granted but it is an important experience that any great street food should do.

The vegan shawarma uses Impossible Foods patties, marinated in traditional spices

The vegan shawarma uses Impossible Foods patties, marinated in traditional spices

“So we wanted to give that experience also to people that are not looking to eat beef.”

Saade says it took nearly four months and more than 10 tasting sessions to perfect the recipe.

The vegan patties are made fresh daily and stored in vacuum-sealed bags before being cooked on the grill.

"Plant-based beef doesn't have a similar texture to the shawarma, so it is all about finding the best way to emulate that," he says.

"I don't think we got it 100 per cent because you can still taste the difference, but I do feel that we created a unique product."

The vegan shawarma from Zaroob is popular with young Arab diners

The vegan shawarma from Zaroob is popular with young Arab diners

According to Saade, the Impossible Shawarma is ordered more on delivery service apps than dine-in.

“This means we are hitting a younger customer base, which is the target audience,” he says.

"These are the new people from the Levant.

“They are the next generation of artists and innovators and I am happy that we can give them something that respects our tradition but that's also looking forward.

“It also shows the shawarma can adapt to anything as well as being timeless."