It could be Indian. Or maybe not. Anyway, huge sticks wrapped with meat are roasted over a flame, then chunks of the meat are shaved off into some sort of flatbread wrapper. Roasted potatoes, garlic, and spices are added (along with, I think, a creamy sauce), then the whole thing is rolled up into something resembling a gigantic burrito.
Problem is, I can’t remember what it’s called. Oh, but it’s so good!
I went to an Indian restaurant today, hoping to find one. No luck, though I did have an excellent meal. I looked through the menu without success, and I even asked the waitress, but she had no idea.
So, Dopers, does anyone know the name of this delicious monstrosity I’ve been craving all week? Last time I had one was about five years ago in Houston. My memory’s telling me that it was Indian (a large collection of hookah pipes were on display), but I could be mistaken.
This seems pretty similar to a gyro or a doner kabob it concept. I’ve only had personal experience with gyros and I’ve never had one with potatoes, tomato and onion and tzatziki sauce being my preferred set up, but the concept of shaved spit meat in a flatbread wrapper is pretty versatile.
This was probably tzatziki, a very garlicky yogurt sauce, which is the part of a gyro I think I crave most. You might be able to find some bottled at the grocery store, depending on where you live and how big the store is. If it’s not in the “International” section, try the salad dressings and barbecue sauce aisle.
I think I’ve most often seen hookahs used as decor in Middle Eastern restaurants, though they would make sense in a Turkish place too.
Probably, it was just that particular establishment’s preperation, but their schawarmas didn’t really look or taste like any of the gyros I’ve had. To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never tried a doner kebab, but I’m writing that one down on my list, too.
The wiki article says that some American places put french fries in their schwarmas. French fries? Gak!
Seriously though, if you’re not a cooking type, the bottled stuff can be very satisfying and keep longer than the homemade variety. Especially if you’re not sure how it’s supposed to taste.