Shawarma.lk.

The rather casually titled Shawarma.lk is a restaurant that's situated in an unassuming spot down Thimbirigasyaya. Contrary to the title, they actually don't have a website which is a bit weird, but live and let live. 

They're a fully functioning shawarma joint serving up Palestinian, Lebanese, Greek, and Turkish shawarma. They've also got a hugely detailed list of breakfast platter options, but they aren't actually open for breakfast, so I don't quite know what's happening there. 

Indi wouldn't stop hounding us about the review for this place, so here it is folks! What experience did a trip to this doner deli entail? Was it good? Bad? Ugly? Let's see. 

Shawarma, Mama!

A lot of people constantly forget what the word shawarma actually means and instead use it to refer to a wrap.

Shawarma is the method of meat prep that follows an old Ottoman-Turkish method of cooking meat using a spinning, vertical rotisserie. The meat was then roasted, cut and served on pita bread which came to be known as the Turkish Doner Kebap. This served as the base inspiration for many other dishes like the Greek Gyro, the Mexican El Taco Pastor and so on. 

A wrap, is just shawarma + vegetables + sauces wrapped in pita bread. 

At Shawarma.lk they've got a live station where they prepare the food so you can go snoop around if you're bored and feel like making the chefs a bit uneasy. The food doesn't take that long but if you're looking to order kofta, you'll have to order 15 minutes ahead. 

The shawarmas here have an option of either a small or large size. The smaller size is a perfect portion for one. For your protein, you get to pick from chicken, beef, or both! 

Here is an honest portion of Hummus (Rs. 460) along with a serving of Pita bread (Rs. 100)/ The pita wasn't quite a shiner here, lacking severely in salt so there's nothing else to report there.

The hummus was great. Strong notes of tahini and lemon juice were present, and we actually ended up ditching the pita to shovel spoonfuls of the stuff into our faces. The texture was a bit grainy, but didn't take away from the overall mouthfeel. A little more time in the blender, and this would've turned into a pasty mess. I'd give it a 4/5 rating. The Palestinian Shawarma clocks in at Rs. 320 for a small portion. In addition to having large chunks of succulent, rotiserrie grilled chicken, it also comes with tomato, onions, pickles and parsley. They didn't give us an option on which sauce to pick but rather chose to serve the shawarma with a giant blob of garlic mayo on the side. 

As a whole this wrap had a rather bland flavour to it, with only the char/smokey chicken ad pickled coming through. It wasn't bad, but I'd recommend you try the Turkish shawarma instead. 

This is the wonderful Falafel Sandwich. For Rs. 380 you get to have the best falafel sandwich  wrap ever. Bursting at the seams with crunchy, delicious falafel along with lashings of tahini sauce, lemon juice, tomato and onions- this is probably the greatest vegetarian wrap out there. It's also served with a side of mixed vegetables in vinagrette, but that didn't quite look appetising, so we didn't indulge.

Doesn't matter though, our focus was all on that wrap. 
Ahhh kofta! Also spelled kofteh, a kofta is essentially a variant of meatballs or meatloaf. Consisting of meat, spices and vegetables ground to form a malleable mass, these are then either fried, grilled or cooked in gravy to produce some of the best tasting dishes ever.

I decided to try a Beef Kofta which amounts to Rs. 340 per skewer. This is a bit of a pricey option, but was it worth it? Well, the beef was tender, soft and still pink in some areas. Breaking apart will cause it to crumble delicately, with notes of cilantro and lemon juice pulling through. I'd say it's quite tasty, but not exactly worth Rs. 340. 
Here is the rotisserie. It's piled high with chicken, so I'm assuming the rest of the other meats are prepared in the kitchen. Or maybe I'm just really blind and the beef is in there somewhere, in which case if it is, do forgive me. 

Ambience & Service  

Ambience here is a bit uh…bleak. The walls are white, the furniture is basic, the decor is practically nil. All they really need to do to produce an illusion of grandeur is to simply switch the lighting to yellow instead of the awful, fluorescent white. 

They've got a good customer base, and I noticed people milling in and out of the shops so business must be great. Service is alright, but could be a bit faster.

That's a Wrap!

That's all folks! If you're ever traversing around the Thimbirigasyaya area well after bedtime and are in need of a good shawarma- here's your spot. 

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp

Highlights.

Latest.

KAMU.

Iftar Buffet Round Up 2024

Written by Fathima Rukaiya As Ramadan arrives, a warm feeling of reflection and community fills

Highlights Kamu

Discovering Pasta Paradise: The Pasta Factory, Galle Fort

In the historic Galle Fort, The Pasta Factory brings a taste of Italy to Sri

Highlights Kamu

A Home for Desi Dreams – Bombay Nights by Radisson Colombo

As we stepped into the ‘Dine’ in Radisson Colombo, our senses were immediately tantalized by

Highlights Kamu

Steak Bar: A Grand Sunday Brunch at Kingsbury, Colombo

Written by Shamrina C Welcome to the ultimate brunch experience! Nestled in the heart of

Highlights Kamu Yamu Guide

Dampa Seafood: Where seafood dreams come true!

Are you ready for a culinary journey that captures the essence of the ocean? Look

Highlights Kamu

An unforgettable brunch celebration at Harbour Court, The Kingsbury.

The Ambience From the hotel entrance to our designated seat, a vibrant atmosphere resonated with

Highlights Kamu

Trending.

“85th Annual Mount Lavinia 2-Mile Sea Swim” by SLASU held at the Mount Lavinia Hotel Beach

The "85th Annual Mount Lavinia 2-Mile Sea Swim" organized by Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union

Trending

Sheraton Colombo Hotel celebrates International Women’s Day with empowering insights

Sheraton Colombo Hotel, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands, marked International

Trending

Anantara Kalutara Presents an Elevated Gastronomic Journey to Italy

Kalutara, Sri Lanka - March 14, 2024 - Anantara Kalutara Resort is delighted to announce

Trending

List of Party Venues 2024

By Fathima Rukaiya Finding the perfect place to host a party can be a hassle.

Highlights Trending

LCY Unveils Debut ‘LCY for Her’ Collection, Redefining Women’s Polo Wear with Strength, and Sophistication

Thursday, 14, March, 2024, Colombo: LCY, a brand synonymous with manufacturing high-quality men’s polos of

Trending

Royal Turf Club Nuwara Eliya Sports Tourism Race Day 2024 Colombo

The Royal Turf Club Nuwara Eliya held its first race for the year on 24th

Trending

Yamu Guide.

Steak Bar: A Grand Sunday Brunch at Kingsbury, Colombo

Written by Shamrina C Welcome to the ultimate brunch experience! Nestled in the heart of

Highlights Kamu Yamu Guide

9 Special Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Him

By Fathima Rukaiya Are you trying to find the perfect way to show your special

Highlights Yamu Guide

9 Special Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Her

Written by Fathima Rukaiya The season of love is upon us once more, and opinions

Highlights Yamu Guide

Romantic Dinner and High Tea date spots for Valentine’s Day  2024

Written by Shamrina C 1. Via Torino Indulge in a fine dining exclusive 3-Course meal

Highlights Yamu Guide

BYOB Bliss: 16 Places to you can Bring Your Own Bottle!

Written by Shamrina C 1. Giovannis Indulge in Italian flavors, grooving music, pet friendly, and

Highlights Yamu Guide

Unveiling Ramada’s Festive Christmas High Tea Extravaganza!

Written by Shamrina C Mark your calendars for the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of December,

Highlights Yamu Guide