🥙 Dinner Spotlight: Shawarma Time (CBC Building)
| Location: | Downtown Vancouver (Formerly Popeye's / Triple O's) |
| Mixed Shawarma Plate: | $22.99 (Tender chicken & beef, rice, salad, pita) |
| Arabic Mixed Meal: | $19.99 (Saj bread wraps served with fries) |
| The Refreshment: | Fresh Mint Lemonade ($6.99) |
If you have lived in Vancouver long enough, you probably play the mental game of tracking what certain iconic retail spaces used to be. For the longest time, the spot in the CBC building downtown was a classic Triple O's, which later transitioned into a Popeye's. Today, that exact same corner has been transformed into Shawarma Time!
Admittedly, I walked in with a healthy dose of skepticism. The Robson stretch just east of Granville is already packed with heavy-hitting Middle Eastern staples like Jerusalem Shawarma, Falafel King, and Aladdin Cafe, just to name a few. Standing out in this neighborhood is no small feat. However, my husband and I decided to stop by for a casual dinner to see how it stacked up against the competition.
The Refreshment: Fresh Mint Lemonade ($6.99)
To kick things off, we grabbed a cup of their Fresh Mint Lemonade ($6.99), and it was a revelation.
|
| The wonderfully tart and zesty Fresh Mint Lemonade ($6.99). |
The balance here is incredibly pleasant. It was pleasingly tart with just a subtle hint of sweetness rather than being a total sugar bomb. The addition of finely blended fresh mint flecks throughout provides a beautiful, aromatic brightness that hits the spot. It is the perfect, zesty palate cleanser to pair with a rich Middle Eastern feast.
The Main Events: Mixed Shawarma Plate & Arabic Mixed Meal
For the food, I set my sights on the Mixed Shawarma Plate ($22.99), while my husband went for the Arabic Mixed Meal ($19.99) mostly because I insisted that we absolutely needed a side of fries on the table!
|
| Our full dinner spread at Shawarma Time. |
My Mixed Shawarma Plate arrived beautifully arranged on a wooden platter, mounded with both chicken and beef shawarma. The meat itself was exceptionally tender, deeply marinated, and perfectly seasoned. Honestly, I dare say the shawarma meat here might actually beat out Jerusalem Shawarma! It is served alongside a bed of fragrant yellow rice, a fresh salad, pita bread, and a smooth pool of hummus. While the plate as a whole is incredibly satisfying and something I would happily order again.
|
| The deeply seasoned Mixed Shawarma Plate ($22.99). |
My husband's Arabic Mixed Meal turned out to be a wonderful surprise. It was our very first time ordering a preparation like this! Instead of a loose plate, the same delicious chicken and beef shawarma meat is tightly rolled up inside delicate, thin saj bread, grilled, and sliced into neat, bite-sized pinwheels.
|
| The beautifully presented Arabic Mixed Meal featuring saj bread wraps ($19.99). |
The structure made it incredibly fun to eat, keeping all those juices locked right inside the bread. Plus, the accompanying french fries were spectacularly seasoned and perfectly crispy.
The Sides & Future Visits: Falafel ($6.99)
To round out the meal, we also added a side of Falafel (5 pieces for $6.99). They were good (nice and golden brown) on the outside with a solid texture. While they might not be one of the best falafels I have ever encountered in the city, they were well-executed and added a lovely variety to our table.
It wasn't until after we had already ordered and sat down that I noticed a completely separate section on their menu dedicated to fresh, stone-baked manakish! Watching those come out looking completely blistered and warm immediately secured a spot on my mental checklist for our next visit.
If you find yourself near the CBC building downtown and need a quick, flavourful, and deeply satisfying dinner, Shawarma Time has officially earned our stamp of approval.
Are you team Shawarma Plate or team Shawarma Wrap when it comes to Middle Eastern food? What is your personal benchmark for the ultimate hummus in Vancouver? Let me know in the comments below!
Comments
Post a Comment