Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
I’ve never been one to value quantity over quality, but I must say when I received the giant two-in-one shawarma sandwich from Al Badawi, I was impressed before I even took a bite.
For $15, I ordered the Mix Shawarma sandwich for lunch and I ended up receiving the equivalent of two full meals. And I don’t eat lightly.
When Al Badawi opened along Atlantic Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, I immediately took notice. This is a second restaurant from the owners of beloved Palestinian restaurant Ayat in Bay Ridge. That original restaurant is a bit off the path of my usual route but I find myself in this part of Brooklyn Heights pretty often.
From accounts, Al Badawi prepares lavish family-style Palestinian dinners. Lunch is a bit more modest but there are some interesting dishes on the menu. I was looking for something affordable and quick and so I called ahead to try their shawarma sandwich.
I truly had not anticipated how incredible this wrap would be and how much food I would receive.
Even if I wanted to stuff myself silly, I don’t think I would have been able to finish more than one of the wraps presented to me.
Two very thin house baked pita are wrapped tightly around an overflowing amount of shawarma meat. The chicken was peppery and incredibly tender with pleasant layers of fat throughout. It was balanced by the rich beef shawarma which had slightly gamey and garlicky notes and was impossibly delicious. They sang together beautifully
To enhance the meat, there was a nice slather of a tangy garlic-heavy white sauce and crisp pickled vegetables.
It was a lot of food, but I was not going to let a single delicious bite go to waste. And that’s why I had three incredible meals in a row. Of the same thing. Price: $15
| AL BADAWI |
| 151 Atlantic Avenue (between Clinton and Henry Street), Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn (718) 689-5888 |
| albadawinyc.com |
