Cheap Eats in Dubai: Shawarma

Shawarma in Dubai cost between 3-5 AED or 1-1.5 USD per sandwich. One is enough to fill you or two if with a bigger appetite. Usually shawarma are sold at cafeterias you can find around the city. You can also have shawarma in restaurants but if you want an authentic experience I bet you will enjoy it most street style, the way it should be. It is dubbed as the city's best snack. One can never really call oneself a true blue Dubai resident if you haven't eaten shawarma coz it is a staple food over here. If you're a tourist, then it is a must try.

Shawarma stalls in Dubai opens at night only except of course those in the mall or the restaurants. Shawarma comes with slowly roasted beef or chicken, with some lettuce or cabbage and parsley, then drizzled with tahina sauce before it is wrapped in pita bread (kubus) or with flat bread. I like mine wrapped in flatbread persian style just like what you see in this picture.

After wrapping it in flat bread, it is placed in a hot pan then topped with a heavy Terra-cotta cover or hot plate. Some olive oil are also added on the pan and on top of your shawarma to toast it for that extra crunch

Marinated chicken or beef meat is skewered and stacked in a long rotating metal rod, placed vertically next to a very hot grill and roasted slowly. The perfectly roasted part is sliced thinly using a long serrated shawarma knife which then falls in a round tray under the stacked of meat. Once the shawarma is ready, it is wrapped in onion paper then serve.

closer...

We love our shawarma serve with lots of pickled green chilis, sometimes with french fries too.

Writing this post makes me crave for some shawarma. You know that you have lived long enough in the UAE if you have been craving for its tradition street food, the shawarma.