mmm... Shawarma

If you’re into local food in Arabia, chances are you’ve stumbled across the Shawarma. From Beirut to London, the Shawarma or ‘Kebab Shop’ has become a symbol of, and gateway to - Middle Eastern cuisine.

This might be unfortunate as the quality of what you might pick up on the streets of Edgeware Road or Queensway is a far cry from a real-tasting quality shawarma. Quality is a key issue, and more often than not the rotating chunks of shawarma found in such places have been left standing for days. Uncovered, they slowly become nothing but a lump of hardened meat, resembling something more akin to spam, than anything else. But hop on a plane to Lebanon, Saudi and beyond, and chances are you will come across something slightly more impressive, slightly being an understatement. In Jeddah, the bride of the Red Sea, knowing your Shawarma is a topic of hot debate among local residents. A while back, Jeddah Food Members on Facebook were asked which Shawarma they would recommend.

One of the names that came up time and time again was Sindian. It recently relocated back to its flagship location on Rawdah Street. Sindian is now just past the first set of traffic lights from the Kubri. Based on first impressions, you wouldn’t think this place was anything special. But trust us on this one, Sindian is a place worth crossing town for!

Many visitors to Jeddahfood.com describe Sindian as ‘the’ best in town. What makes Sindian stand out from the crowd is the way it is cooked. Instead of being cooked on an electric grill, the Shawarma is grilled on charcoal, and cooked horizontally much like a spit roast more common in Turkey and Eastern Europe. This has two benefits, one is that the charcoal cooks the meat more slowly and as a result gives the meat a unique barbequed flavor. The other is the fact that the fat drips off more easily, resulting in a leaner more healthy serving of chicken. Sindian also wrap their Shawarma in a unique type of bread. This tortilla-type fateera bread was first introduced to town by them years ago. The Chicken Shawarma here is one of our favorites, the meat is also good but can be a little salty if you arrive too early (e.g. after Maghrib prayers). The Chicken Shawarma here is really a must try and it’s a snap at only SR 6 (about $1.60 or £1). Those with a larger appetite can opt for the Sarookh (literally translated as ‘Rocket’) Shawarma, which is available for SR 9 and is served in the same tortilla type bread.

Sindian are flexible with fillings, like most other venues in town. The standard wrap comes with chicken, gherkin, potato chips, and garlic sauce. The sauce is really good here, and the taste is unique Enjoy!

Sindian

Tel: 6688785 - Mobile: 0508 050 675