Versova is teeming with stalls selling the Levantine snack, a favourite with residents. We did a walk-through, picking the best of the lot
Persian flavours
For Versova's hip crowd, Persia Darbar has long been a favourite for Indian fare. But the restaurant's shawarma is well-known even among non-patrons. "There are so many young working professionals here. Waqt unke liye keemti hai. They can enjoy this is dish on the go, and it's tasty," says Krishna Tiwari, manager at the joint who claims they sell 30 pieces a day. Here, the snack is accompanied by slices of carrot, cucumber, beetroot, potato wedges, cabbage and a sprinkle of chopped lettuce, all spread over a thick coat of garlic sauce, akin to mayonnaise. Another variant, olive shawarma, is served with an additional topping of olives, for those who like their food with a twist.
TIME: 12 pm to 1 am
AT: 2, Beach Apartment, Picnic Cottage, JP Road.
CALL: 226344411
COST: Rs 105
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(From left) Kalimullah and Azeemullah Khan
Arabian nights
Azeemullah Khan, who owns Seekh Paratha Inn, also runs a small joint in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Now, he and brother Kalimullah, are serving shawarma outside the Indian restaurant. Selling approximately 40 pieces a day, the busy joint serves the dish with in-house mayonnaise, cucumber and cabbage salad, chicken - marinated for four hours and cooked in a vertical broiler that has become synonymous with the Middle Eastern snack - and a generous dollop of red and flavourful garlic sauce. "People like eating shawarma because it isn't oily or overtly spicy. It is an Arabic dish and perhaps that helps add to the allure," Kalimullah tells us. "It is easy to eat and filling, which is another reason why it has become so popular. We opened in 2010 and have been seeing good sales since."
TIME: 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT: Mangal Orchid, off Yari Road.
CALL: 9167619726
COST: Rs 100
Selling like hot cakes
Shahabuddin Shah's stall is two years old, and he opens it sharp at 3 pm to cash in on the student crowd tumbling out of a nearby college. "I sell 50 to 60 pieces a day with ease and mostly get male customers," he reveals. When asked why the snack is a smash hit, Shah's endearing response is, "Log khaate hain iss liye bikta hai (People eat it, so it sells)." Shah serves his shawarma much like the other neighbouring stalls, with beetroot, fries, minced chicken and mayonnaise, but adds an Indian-Asian twist to it, by squeezing oodles of schezwan sauce on a heated piece of pita bread.
TIME: 3 pm to 11 pm
AT: shop no 7, opp Madina Masjid, Yari Road, Versova.
CALL: 981910335
COST: Rs 60
Village bites
Among the multiple stalls, kiosks and shops tucked away inside Versova village is Muskan Chinese Corner and Caterers. They also serve mayonnaise-and-chilli-garlic-sauce-laden shawarma, cheapest in the area. Wasim Khan, the owner's brother, sells close to 120 pieces a day. "Sometimes, people come to pick up Chinese food but that takes a while to prepare, so if they are hungry, they have a shawarma while waiting," Khan shares, adding, "The Kolis fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, so our sales drop on those days."
TIME: 3 pm to 12 am
AT: Sonia Apartments, Silva Lane.
CALL: 9920719869
COST: Rs 50
At the very top
Try taking a turn into Amit Nagar and you may have to criss-cross your way through the sprawling crowd outside Tip Top Shawarma, the locality's busiest stall. Owner Parvez Qureshi says, "It's cheap and filling. You have one shawarma, and you're satisfied for the next four hours. It is an easy supplement to lunch, which most people here do not have the time for." Qureshi is right; Versova is buzzing with film and television actors, writers, and other professionals who seem too busy to leisurely lunch. At his stall, the dish is served with mayonnaise, garlic sauce, fries, beetroot and minced chicken.
TIME: 5 pm to 11 pm
AT: Amit Nagar, Yari Road.
CALL: 9076570570
COST: Rs 60
Kaif Ansari
Popular like vada pav
At Shafiq Shawarma, 70 pieces of the snack are sold each day. And, Shafiq Sheikh, its owner, says the demand is only growing. Echoing his competitors, he says, "It is easy to eat. Log chalte tahelte kha sakte hain (People can eat the dish on the go)."
Locals in Versova enjoying the Middle Eastern snack
Kaif Ansari, a 16-year-old local who frequents Sheikh's kiosk, says, "Shawarma has become like vada pav in Versova," highlighting the dish's popularity. At Sheikh's stall, the snack is prepared with marinated chicken chopped into juicy shreds, served with cabbage, julienned beetroot, fries, and chilli garlic sauce.
TIME: 3 pm to 10.30 pm
AT: Near Yari Chote Miyan, Nirman Cottage, Yari Road, Versova.
CALL: 9820316043
COST: Rs 60
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