August 27th, 2006
Shawarma King
Last Tuesday I ventured to try Coolidge Corner's alternative to Rami's, Shawarma King, which, as it turns out, is more expensive and not worth it.
Shawarma King's decor is as low-key as Rami's, with non-descript cheap tables and chairs and a smattering of Middle Eastern wall-hangings and doodads. Their menu, however, is far more extensive, offering vegetarian specialties featuring stewed eggplant and pumpkin.
My Garlic Chicken Shawarma Plate ($11) originally came with salad, tahini, rice, and pitab bread; a subtitution of hummus for tahini cost me a $1 extra. The fresh salad stood out as one of the better platter components, offering freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers in a peppery vinaigrette. The soft rice was a perfect bed for the shawarma, which was indistinguishable from run-of-the-mill boiled white-meat chicken, except when slathered with a garlic-yogurt sauce housed in a separate container. The creamy hummus was satisfying but lacked the kick supplied by that of Rami's, and the niggardly dollop was hardly worth the additional buck.
If I returned to Shawarma King, I'd try one of the intriguing vegetarian dishes or maybe one of their bite-size flaky pastries. However, it's doubtful these dishes would be much better, considering they're considerably more complicated, and the staple shawarma was so lackluster.
The Info
Shawarma King
1383 Beacon St., Brookline
617-731-6035
