First Entry For Battle of The Shawarmas

Last week I suggested a shawarma taste off between the two new spots that opened up in Adams Morgan – Shawarma King located at 1654 Columbia Road and Shawarma Spot located at 2418 18th Street. I didn’t think I’d be an impartial judge so I got a few volunteers to share their opinions with you. The first entry is from Jaime.

Shawarma King:
When you walk in, you are greeted by bright orange walls and bright smiles from what seems to be a family-run business. They are still sporting a Christmas tree – it may be time to take that down. They offer small or large chicken, beef or falafel shawarmas in either a pita or a wrap. The menu is a little confusing. We opted for the wraps, but are still unsure if you can choose a small or large wrap or if the wrap is the large option. They called us up to the counter after about 5 minutes. We topped the shawarmas ourselves at the topping bar. They had lots of options – fried cauliflower, tahini, tomatoes, onions with sumac, sauces and much more. After that, the server took our sandwiches and warmed and pressed them in a panini maker. This made it a lot easier to eat. They tasted pretty good and the enthusiastic workers were sure to ask us if we enjoyed it. The wrap was more than enough food for one person. At only $5.95, it was a great value. This is an excellent addition to Adam’s Morgan.

Shawarma King PROS:
Enthusiastic Ownership
Put on your own toppings with more choices
Slightly Better Prices
CONS:
Confusing menu & process Continues after the jump.

Shawarma Spot:
From the menu to the branding and decor, the shawarma spot is solid. The menu includes beef and chicken shawarmas, but also flatbreads, stuffed grape leaves, kibbi, dessert and salads (no falafel here). If you pick a shawarma, they’ll call you up to the counter once your pita is heated up in the big oven. You tell them what toppings you want. There aren’t quite as many toppings to choose from here, but they have everything you need to make a great tasting shawarma. The green Lebanese hot sauce is very good, but watch out, it’s quite hot! The chicken was extremely tender and well seasoned and the hummus was great as well. The Shawarma Spot is definitely craveable and defintely a place that I will return in the near future.

Shawarma Spot PROS:
Bigger Menu
Better Taste
Better atmosphere
CONS:
You don’t put on your own toppings
No Falafel

To sum up, if I had to choose between the two places, I would go with the Shawarma Spot. I still think that Amsterdam Falafel beats both places if you’re hankering for falafel instead of chicken or beef though. They have the topping bar down to a precise science.