Remember the time when grabbing a shawarma meant either driving all the way to Toli Chowki or finding smaller joints near OU? Not any more though. With the ubiquitous Mediterranean wrap becoming hugely popular, a number of shawarma joints have sprung up across the city. But it isn’t just the shawarma that has been gaining prominence in the city. It’s a whole volley of Middle Eastern food that is becoming popular among foodies keen to explore. Little wonder then several eateries serving the cuisine are springing up across town.
Take for instance Spice 6 in Banjara Hills, the latest restaurant to jump on to the Middle Eastern cuisine bandwagon. With a focus on Lebanese cuisine, the newly launched eatery boasts of a range of dishes like Tabbouleh (a salad made with tomatoes, couscous and olive oil), Fattoush (toasted pita bread salad), Uzi (whole lamb rice), Baklava (dry fruit filled pastry), Kunafa (cheese pastry soaked in sugar syrup) and Turkish pudding amongst others. “One of the main reasons we decided to set up Spice 6 is the growing demand for Middle Eastern food in the city. Unlike earlier when Indian or Chinese cuisines reigned, people today are looking to try something new and Middle Eastern food seems to be extremely popular,” says Khaja Yousufuddin, managing director, Spice 6. He adds that their coffee shop – Ista Lebana Bistro – is very popular with youngsters who go there for Black Coffee and Baklava.
The fact that Middle Eastern food is low on fat and uses plenty of fresh vegetables without compromising on flavours also seems to contribute to its rising popularity in the city. “People today are looking for healthier fast food options and Middle Eastern cuisine offers that. Most of the dishes in this cuisine are cooked in olive oil, use a lot of vegetables and are seldom fried. Even the rolls that we serve at our quick service outlet are grilled and not fried,” explains Imtiaz Ali Siddiqui, managing director of Seasons Xprs, the drive-in branch of All Seasons. The eatery, which set up two months ago, caters to people looking to grab a quick bite and dishes out delicacies like Lebanese grilled chicken, falafels, Zatar (a typically middle eastern spice made with thyme, oregano, sesame and parsley) pizza, Kofta Dajaj Roll, Mushakan Pizza and Spinach Fatayer among others.
Even people in Secunderabad who’d normally have to make a long trip to grab a bite at a multi-cuisine restaurant needn’t look too far if they’re craving a wholesome shawarma. “With places like Grill 9 and Shawarma House in Secunderabad it’s easier for me to get my dose of the wrap. What I really like about it is the fact that it’s an easy and delicious meal on the go and it isn’t heavy on the pocket either. Of course, we still head to the eat street at DLF for midnight snack fixes,” says Abhishek Rajkumar, a student. Similarly, the newly opened Express Meals at Nagarjuna Circle caters to the office crowd in the area.
For Sneha T., who has a fondness for Laham Mandi, the fact that she no longer needs to go all the way to old city to get her fix of Middle Eastern food is a huge relief. “My friends and I love to dig into Lebanese food and we love our falafels, baklavas and tabboulehs apart from the shawarma. While shawarma is easily available every where, most places serve it either in a bun or in roomali roti. Some of the newer places though make it with pita bread, which is how it should be. I also have a weakness for Mandi, it is mild and not as heavy on spices like the Hyderabadi biryani. What I love is that none of this is deep fried and is easier on the palate,” she says.
