I miss traveling. If there’s one thing that’s driving me restless and at times depressed are the lockdowns and the border closing of some beach towns in Batangas. I miss discovering new sights and savoring new food aside from going to the beach. But I’m trying to cope with it as I realized that in the meantime while everything is on pause, I could research on the places I want to visit one day, maybe learn a new language on the internet and try out interesting restaurants I see on Instagram like the Modern Shawarma Counter (MSC) which is located inside Better Living Subdivision in Paranaque.
I’ve always loved shawarma so MSC was something I wanted to try after I saw one celebrity featured it on his Instagram account. I had the food delivered since I don’t usually dine-out nowadays unless it is outdoors. I especially liked their MSC shawarma because of the different spin they gave to it. Wrapped inside are well-seasoned strips of meat that were marinated in some spices to give it a more robust flavor. They also included some pickled purple cabbage that had a sour, tangy flavor, a good contrast to the flavors of the meat.
I also tried their out-of-the-stick chicken kebab. The flavors may not be as robust as the beef shawarma but it is well-seasoned too with maybe hints of curry that goes well with their brightly colored basmati rice. Meanwhile, their yoghurt sauce which accompanied the kebab was a stand-out for me. This thin, light-green sauce had a tasty, minty flavor to it that I liked, not as strong as any garlic sauce but still as flavorful.
I often order hummus here too which comes with one piece of soft pita bread. Carefully presented in a small plastic container, the nutty flavor of the hummus had hints of lemon and garlic in it giving it an authentic taste that was well-thought of.
Lastly, I also liked their shawarma with mango salsa. In comparison to the MSC shawarma which had pickled purple cabbage, this one had mango bits which provided a sweet contrast to the peppery flavors of the meat. It is is a different take on the shawarma that I also liked.
I admire restaurants that innovate and transport me with the flavors of their food like MSC. Those bursts of exotic flavors from their shawarma can make you imagine what it’s like to eat at a kiosk in the Mediterranean or the Middle East and not stuck at home. Sometimes, our food choices can let us travel the world in just a bite. It’s up to us if we’re willing to take the chance.
