Rolled toasted pita bread with sliced tomatoes, crunchy cabbage strips and marinated slivers of grilled beef drizzled with garlic-infused sauce and fiery chili. What is not to love about this shawarma. I tried other shawarmas in various places in the metro and so far, Zubairih’s is the best I’ve tasted. I find the others lukewarm in flavor and some inhibited in taste, definitely not the flavors you’d expect in a Persian cuisine. Some sauces even have a weird, funny taste like it was absentmindedly concocted. Annoying too are the super soft pita breads that have the contents spilling over. And even if others have strong meat flavors and almost passable sauces, the amount of vegetables inside can be overwhelming that the meat is almost lost in the deluge or it has too much meat rendering the balancing effect of the veggies almost nil.
Surprisingly, Zubairih’s shawarma have an almost equal portion of beef and vegetables resulting in a good blend of spice-rubbed grilled beef strips, sweet tomatoes, and crunchy bland cabbage punctuated by the sharp creaminess of cheese bits. However, the main challenge is keeping the juiciness of the beef in check. I tasted parts that were a little dry, maybe it got cold from being on standby waiting to be served or maybe it got a little overcooked. But despite this, their combination still ranks high, not always perfect but definitely better than the others especially when the shawarma is slightly smothered with their white garlic sauce. This glorious sauce brings a luscious sweet garlic flavor that enhances the whole shawarma, a silky sauce that also goes well with their kebabs. And if you want to take the flavors a notch higher, squirt a small dollop of their red chili sauce to spike some heat.
But what the restaurant brings in flavor sadly lacks in ambiance with its plain walls and wooden chairs. And if plans of redecorating the place push through and succeed in creating a more Persian or Mediterranean vibe then the new surroundings can now complement its memorable, authentic flavors. But right now their efforts are limited to a new tarpaulin showcasing some pictures of their delicious food with their new delivery number plus the installation of their Facebook and Multiply pages. But definitely new changes are coming for this restaurant and I hope it does, restaurants with its own distinct taste and flavor deserve to be discovered, patronized and talked about.
So for my coming birthday, I’m planning to order some shawarmas and kebabs in Zubairih. I have a feeling its big servings and robust flavors will appeal to my brothers .And I’m sure the shawarma’s flavor will seep through their discerning taste and welcome it ravenously as I did especially when the sweet garlic sauce has softly skimmed the grilled delicious parts of this hefty rolled pita.
Zubairih Persian and Mediterranean Restaurant
Dona Soledad St. Better Living Subd. Paranaque
2270964
