Shawarma in Abu Dhabi*

Location - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Photos by - Me


Its almost been two years since I visited my cousin in Abu Dhabi. I promised her whilst she was still in the Philippines, that id visit her wherever she ends up working. I'm glad that I went to the Emirates. I had my reservations about going there at first, but I'm absolutely glad that I did. It turned out to be a life changing trip and probably the main reason to why im a little more adventurous with my travels now.

Abu Dhabi is a stunning city. The religion and culture reminds you that you are far from home, but it has widely adapted to the western way of living. There is a large percentage of the the inhabitants that are expats. Alot of which are Indian, Filipino and British. English is widely spoken, so communication is not an issue. Modern and traditional go hand in hand as they display breathtaking skyscrapers and beautiful mosques in and around the city.

Like every great city, McDonalds and Starbucks are easily located. I guess due to a high number of expats they tried to cater towards the more western palettes. But even the locals enjoy the good old fast food chain. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have most of the popular restaurant chains imaginable. They even have a Jollibee and a Chow King! (very popular Filipino fast food chains). I dont recall many of the meals I had whilst I was out there but one thing I clearly remember was the SHAWARMA which I heavily endulged in during my stay. Who could resist a freshly baked pitta wrapped around tender juicy grilled lamb, mixed with onions, crisp lettuce and bathed in a creamy garlic paste and topped with a slice of tangy pickle? I salivate just thinking about it.

My cousin took me to a desert safari in Dubai. We did sand dune bashing in a 4x4 followed by a sunset dinner on Persian rugs with flame throwing and belly dancing for entertainment. We even had free apple flavoured shishas to puff on after the meal. They served freshly made shawarmas along side rice and other mixed grills of beef and chicken. The meat was perfectly spiced and grilled, and the slight charred smell coming from the fresh stone baked pitta breads was amazing. It definatley beats any of the shawarmas or kebabs I've had in London. Even the chicken sharwamas were surprisingly tender and moist. I would have gone for seconds if it wasn't a per head arrangement.

The UAE is very popular for its Malls. Being tax free definatley helps with the sales of electronics and other goods. They have really impressive malls which oozes alot of character. Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi and the IBN Battuta Mall in Dubai were two of my favourites. I remember getting an amazing ice cream from Marble Slab Creamery. If you ever had Cold Stone in the States, this is exactly the same. The name threw me off a little, but they have exactly the same concept. Ice cream mixed on a marble surface with any topping or flavour you want! This went down a treat and did the trick of cooling me down in the crazy heat.

From this trip I learned alot about myself and what im capable of being. This was the beginning of many adventures to come, and it opened my eyes (and my palette) to exploring the world. Thank you Abu Dhabi.

IBN Battuta Mall
Website

Abu Dhabi Tourism
Website