A Tale of Two Shawarmas: How One Humble Kebab Stand Divided Us
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Back in May, we were gutted to announce that several of our favorite restaurants were being ousted from the Topwin Mall basement in favor of new establishments, and in some cases, inflated rent. One of the better locations for cheap-to-mid-range lunch options in Sanlitun, the news of Shawarma Dareen's (达琳卷 dálínjuǎn) closure was especially frustrating to those who began to rely on their quick, easy, and filling RMB 25 shawarma and falafel wraps.
Just under three months on and we were surprised to hear that a new shawarma restaurant had reopened in Shawarma Dareen's place (called, originally, Shawarma 想我么 xiǎngwǒme). Stranger yet, we got wind that Shawarma Dareen had also reopened, a stone's throw west in the bustling Sanlitun Soho basement canteen. Hungry for some juicy goss and more than willing to stuff ourselves stupid with shawarma, we visited both to get the skinny how one shawarma restaurant became two.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the split boils down to the age-old story of the foreign businessman getting ousted from his own creation by the local rogue business partner (who cut the umbilical cord once they'd mastered the ropes). The foreigner in question here is Jordanian Ahmad Saraireh, who came to Beijing for the first time last year, and with the help of financial backup and guanxi of his former business partner, decided to open up a humble shawarma stand. Saraireh admits to the Beijinger that he'd never cooked in any professional capacity before, but that didn't matter; word quickly spread about his authentic and halal wraps at "the small counter in the basement of Topwin."
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It's obvious that work has gone into overhauling the Topwin Center venue, which now sports a cleaner design
Fast-forward to now, and the new management of the original space have upgraded it with new appliances, sleek photos and a "cleaner" feel, and not at the expense of the prices, which remain the same as before. The once too-tall bench, which provided the only seating, has now been switched for a lower table, which makes for a more comfortable experience for anyone eating in.
The options here are much the same as what they used to be but customization has expanded, as have the salads
As well as the preexisting shawarma and shawarma with cheese options, they've also made the wraps completely customizable, offering everything from additional meat, eggs, okra, red beans, and quinoa. There's also a couple of salad options that round out the menu nicely. In all, it's obvious from the four staff and an expanded menu that work has definitely gone into this new outing.
It's heartening to see that Saraireh's fans have made the move with him
Unfortunately, we can't quite say the same for Saraireh's new digs at the very back of the Sanlitun Soho canteen, where we find him on his own, serving two loyal customers who were apparently privy to the move. Saraireh serves us cinnamon black tea while we wait, a friendly touch as he prepares the food.
By the look of the place, it's obvious that Saraireh doesn't intend to make this his permanent home. As we chat, he describes how the exorbitant rent in Topwin had made continuing business untenable for him, and before long he found himself on his own, searching for a new space to set up shop. Pointing to the overhead extractor fans, Saraireh chuckles and describes how none of them turn on, despite being under the responsibility of the food court management – not a great sign for what is essentially a huge room filled with 30-plus kitchens. He adds that he hopes to find a more permanent space in the next two to three months, again, hopefully nearby.
So, how do the shawarma stack up? We did find some notable differences: Saraireh's chicken is considerably saltier and his hot sauce spicier (a win in our book) for a combination that is more savory. It's the kind of food-made fist that hits the absolute spot after a beer or two.
Topwin's entry, meanwhile, tastes fresher and lighter thanks to a larger serving of vegetables and a bold addition: a lot of corn. We also hate to say it, but the meat is subtler and smokier. Additionally, Saraireh's falafel is crunchier which in turn makes it a little drier so you may want to ask for more sauce to balance it out.
Saraireh's shawarma is noticeably saltier, while his hot sauce is a thing of slow-burn beauty
In the end, which venue you decide to frequent will likely to depend on your dietary preferences (you can count on Saraireh to provide a legitimate halal product) as much as your allegiance to the originator versus the imitator. As for us, we believe that there's enough space in this town for as many shawarma places as possible, so keep them coming.
Dareen Shawarma 达琳卷
Daily 11am-8pm
B1, Bldg 6, Sanlitun Soho, 8 Gongti North Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路8号院三里屯SOHO6号商场B1层
Shawarma 想我么
Daily, 10pm-9pm
B1-12C, Topwin Center, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区南三里屯路通盈中心B1-12C
150 1001 7902, 139 0125 8091
READ: Great Leap Brewing #12 Reopens, but There's a Catch...
Photos: Tom Arnstein
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