Sunday, March 9, 2014

"Sha3bi Shop" - Al Mallah

Al Mallah is one of the first few places my family and I used to go to when we first moved here back in 2001. When Dubai wasn't what it is now - huge skyscrapers, all 'glammed up' and a bajillion different restaurants. Our weekends consisted of driving to Dhiyafa street and feasting up on Shawermas.

I still think such nights are the best nights.

That's why my "Sha3bi" pick today is Al Mallah. Now when we speak about Shawermas, I think it's important to lay out the details... don't you? 

FMTB'S BEST SHAWERMA - WHAT IT TAKES

- Chicken (crisped up on the outside for a charred flavor)
- Pickles 
- Tahina
- Garlic
- Either pita bread or "rigaag" bread (if pita, needs to be toasted from the shawerma oven as well)
- No stinginess on the fillings, please!
- Cheap price - it is a street food item - no fancy shmancy!

Simple, isn't it? No tomatoes, lettuce, salad, fries, no no no no no!

This place understands that and has what I think are the closest thing to true street shawermas. I still believe the best ones are in Amman but in Dubai, this is as close as I'm gonna get.

Al Mallah Dhiyafa branch is the one I go to and every time I do, it is always full. I love seeing the mix of cultures and families there all smiles and enjoying great food. Not one table doesn't order their shawermas - it's truly the best thing they have. And at 6dhs a piece, you just can't go wrong. I love the atmosphere of Sha3bi places since it is just so packed and loud (but not noisy)... watching the shawerma men carve away what seems to be around 6000 shawermas a minute! Incredible.

The next time you're craving a shawerma, go for Al Mallah if you haven't done so already.


Have you tried Al Mallah? What's your favorite shawerma joint? Comment below!


6 comments:

  1. Seriously Mallah is, and always will be, a classic.
    Even though you're not a fan of the salad in shawarmas, I feel certain shawarmas, like the ones from Eat and Drink, need them. Thoughts? ;p

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  2. I get where you're coming from since the Eat & Drink one doesn't have garlic sauce, they only use salad, tahina sauce and chicken/meat so in that case, it might make sense.

    Also, I'm not a big fan of meat shawermas but you are, so, do you think there needs to be salad more in meat shawermas rather than in chicken? #seriousdiscussion

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  3. Hi I have been reading all your posts here and particularly enjoy the Sha3bi Shop series. Very good information for Dubai food lovers. I love exploring local street food whenever I go. I bookmarked your blog. Keep on exploring !!

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  4. Thank you for the kind support! Feed My Taste Buds will continue to explore :)

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  5. One of my favourite Shwarma places in Dubai, we used to live on Al Diyafah street.

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  6. Somehow I never got a notification for your comment GA - sorry!

    Mallah really is a classic to us 'Dubaians'. If I lived on Diyafah, I might be eating too many shawermas :)

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