Thursday, October 8, 2009

Lurk at Turk's

I started to be addicted to Shawarma since the first time that I have tasted it. It has been a habit to bring home one after our usual supermarket day, since it is located near the supermarket area. Although sometimes, I choose not to buy and just shun off the craving because of the beef. Since, it is displayed for everyone to see, the beef sometimes do not look fresh and looks dry. Afraid that it might have been from the day before, I just look for something else to bring home as my dinner.

Then, there was a time where I saw a segment on TV where they interviewed an entrepreneur about her business; Turk's Shawarma. Since I am a fan of Shawarma, I tuned to it and watched intently, waiting for the list of their other branches. That interview was shot in their stall in SM Centerpoint. And as I watch in awe of the long queues, and the descriptions from the owner herself and the customers, comparing side by side, the craving inside of me gets stronger. I know I have to taste Turk's Shawarma myself, to know if it really is as good as how they say. I waited for the list of branches and was disappointed that there were none in SM branches near our area. I remember being slightly mad that they did not open a branch near our area since we have two SM's here.

It was only recently that I saw a stall of Turk's Shawarma in SM (branch nearest to us). It was a delight really, because finally, after a long wait, I will be able to taste it. The kiosk was recognizable alright, with their black and red combination and yellow brand name. The line was not that long, but as I walk over the kiosk, the line has been longer by the time I have reached the end of the line, which is approximately not more than 20 steps only. As I wait, I observed the kiosk itself, above it, just below the kiosk name hung a little signage indicating the variety of Shawarma they are offering and the price. There are only two variants there, the usual beef shawarma which consists of beef and vegetables, and the all meat variant. I also noticed that the crew wears uniforms of the same colors red, and black. Each with his own duties. One is slicing and chopping the beef, the other one prepares the orders, and the other one as the cashier. I thought it was a good decision because it actually prevents the one who is preparing the food to prepare it faster to be ale to accommodate the people, and at the same time prevents accidentally touching money and other things while handling food. And honestly it is one of the reasons why I liked it there.

When it was my turn to order, I chose the all meat variant, although the veggies are fresh as I see them. Watching the preparation of my order is also a joy. The guy has mastered the process. The swifting motion, so fluid, so smooth, and so accurate. From the slightly grilling of the pita bread, to the putting of the beef, rolling up the whole thing, and especially the sauces. It was a superb performance each time. I must congratulate the trainers of these people. It is like entertaining the customers while they are waiting for their food. So, after the entertainment, here comes now the most crucial part: the Shawarma. At first bite, it was already heaven for me. The pita bread does not seem to me a bread. It is like a cake or a pastry that is so soft but not soggy. It is chewy but not tough at all. It has a certain hint of sweetness yet not overpowering that it may be classified as a crepe. The sweetness is just perfect and goes perfectly well with the meat. The meat on Turk's Shawarma is juicy. Unlike those that are being sold on other Shawarmas that are dry and tough and bland tasting. Turk's is not at all anywhere near that. Their meat is flavorful, and has a taste of barbecue-like taste to it, that savory taste that I love. And, as it is like a barbecued meat, it also has a hint of sweetness to it. Just enough to complement the sweetness of the pita. The taste was just so perfect, so heavenly, and so filling. It really is a meal itself. The hot sauce also is not at all that hot the it will make your tongue feel scorched. Not at all, its only blended with the right hotness, just perfect to go with the sandwich itself. It only gives you a slight kick and do not intend to play as the star of the package.


Turk's Shawarma is now my favorite take out food. And as I blog about it now, my mouth cannot help but water. It really is sumptuous.

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Yuummm!!! by Shiela Briol is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Philippines License.
Based on a work at www.shielastaste.blogspot.com.