Aside from smashing box office records, it seems that the recently released superhero flick, The Avengers, has also bumped up sales in another business – selling Shawarmas.

 

“Have you ever tried shawarma?” Iron Man asks Captain America during some comic relief after an intense fighting scene, “There’s a shawarma joint about two blocks from here.  I don’t know what it is, but I want to try it.”

 

Shawarma joints in Hollywood have seen a dramatic increase in sales, as much as 80 per cent at Ro-Ro’s Chicken, as reported by TMZ.

 

So what’s the big fuss?

 

What is Shawarma

Known as the “Arabian Taco” to some, others know it as Shawarma, Shawerma, Shawrma, and even Doner Kebab.  So which one is it?

 

Depending on the country and even the neighbourhood, the Shawarma experience will vary from the taste to its texture.

 

A favourite street-eat thanks to the recognizable massive towering logs of revolving meat roasting in vertical cookers outside restaurants, Shawarma calls for skilled chefs to carefully shave off bits of the sizzling meat.

 

Imagine, slowly roasted meat, whether it’s lamb, beef or even chicken; its shavings piled up high in a giant flat pita-like bread, smoothed with a delicious chickpea paste – Humus, topped with chopped cucumber and tomato salad, and then rolled up into a delicious package, allowing the vegetables and the bread to soak up the meat juices, giving Shawarma that distinctive and heavenly taste.  Now that’s what a “taco” made for foodies should taste like!

 

 All this talk about Shawarmas is getting us hungry!  So where’s your favourite Shawarma joint in Nairobi?