Two Underrated Shawarma Places in Okhla that Every Foodie should Know about
What comes to your mind when someone mentions good Shawarma in Dilli? Maybe your brain creates a culinary mind-map of Roti and Boti, Al Bake or Lebanese Point - some popular Shawarma joints in the city. Or maybe you think of the way in which most Dilli-style Shawarmas aren’t “Shawarmas” in the truest sense, and are actually just spiced minced chicken rolled in thin bread, one that resembles a roomalii rotii more than it does a pita bread. But there are two small shops selling the wrap in South Dilli’s Okhla that don’t get the credit they deserve - Lebanese Buff Shawarma, and Orhan Shawarma House (my favourite of the two).
Both shops are located in Okhla Head, where a bunch of streetside dhaba-style shops are located, selling an assortment of snacks such as chai, parantha, biryani, fried chicken and so on - a hotspot for students from the nearby Jamia Millia Islamia, many of whom reside in the adjacent localities. But to me and my friend, two shops stood out amongst the others - not just from the other shops in Okhla, but from all other Shawarma joints in the city. For, unlike the usual places selling Shawarma, their rotisseries weren’t laced with chicken, but instead, they were decorated with buffalo meat.
Having never tried red meat shawarmas before, we promptly sat at the outlets, one after the other, in an attempt to see if they are something we dig, and in the off-chance that we do, to see which one is the better of the two. We arrived at the first shop, their porch marked with the presence of a rotisserie full of the glorious meat, the foodie’s equivalent of a home’s facade decorated with a Christmas tree. Our request for a shawarma was drowned out by the bustling hubbub of Okhla’s honking vehicles, hollering pedestrians, and loud employees. Yet throughout this chaos, the rotisserie rolled on, without a care for the outside world, something that I found quite the symbol of serenity, like the jellyfish that drifts through the chaotic waters of the Atlantic, surrounded by grotesque tussles between the oceanic food chain. It slowly warming up the meat, that was later be chopped up and wrapped into a thin roti, and served with two types of mayonnaise - one of which was similar to the Lebanese toum (A Middle Eastern Garlic Sauce), and the other being the same but mixed with mint.
The Shawarmas from both places were lip-smacking. Red meat shawarmas aren’t very common in India, as the meat of choice in most places in India tends to be chicken - as it is relatively affordable, healthy, and is free from most religious dietary practices. This type of Shawarma, however, was pleasing to my taste buds. I prefer the richness of the meat, and both places tend to perfect the marination of the meat. The dips they serve the Shawarma with allow the dish to well-round itself as well. They’re thick and mildly flavoured, contrasting very well with the spicy wrap, the union of the two resulting in a taste that is rich yet soft, spicy yet mellow. Out of the two, I prefer Orhan Shawarma House a bit more. They impart a beautiful, smoky flavour on their Shawarmas, adding extra depth to the already complex flavours of the roll. But really, you can’t go wrong with either of them. They’re insanely underrated Shawarma joints that should be on the radar of every foodie.
Recommendations : Shawarma (8.75 / 10 - Lebanese Buff Shawarma, 9.25/10 - Orhan Shawarma House)
Both shops are close to each other. Lebanese Buff Shawarma is located on the main road. Orhan Shawarma House is located further in, past the main road and the Irani Dum Chai shops that are jumbled on the main road. It has two branches, both virtually adjacent to each other, and I’ve only been to the one that’s slightly further inside (I admittedly do not know which one is the original).
Thanks bro, I'm dripping wet now