Shawarma Lunch at Babylon Cafe
Posted on 04/21/2011
Address: 708 Robson Street (corner of Granville & Robson), Vancouver, BC
When I am downtown and am looking for a quick, good and cheap lunch, Babylon Cafe usually springs to mind as the best place. The Boys of Babylon prepare shawarmas for hungry Vancouverites in a steady stream from opening until close.
I don't know if Babylon Cafe makes the absolute best shawarmas in town, but I do know that they make them well enough for me to not consider anywhere else. Everytime I try another shawarma eatery I am disappointed and wonder why I wasted my stomach on second-rate chow.
This extra-small food stall serves a steady line-up of customers all day long. I always believe that the people sooner or later will line up at outlets that provide two things: good food for good value. Babylon Cafe has mastered the art of providing these two services. Even at 11:30 a.m. I had to wait for four others ahead of me in line.
My go-to shawarma is the chicken for $5.95. I forgot they had lamb (I thought they had discontinued it) so I ordered a chicken, plus a side of falafel included into the wrap.
The space in front of the counter only fits 3 persons at a time. Since the Boys of Babylon make three at a time, they are looking at whoever is standing outside and taking more advance orders.
The secret of shawarma is all about the grilled meat. The pita bread, tahini sauce and tabbouleh can be prepared at home, but good luck with that well-cooked, dripping and browned meat rotating slowly on the spit.
Once all the lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles and banana peppers have been loaded onto the pita bread and the meat is placed on top with the tahini and hot sauce, it seems like it could never be wrapped.
But the expert hands of these young men from Iraq always get the job done.
The finished product, wrapped in tinfoil to preserve heat as well as prevent leakage. There is a good amount of juices inside their shawarmas and great care must be taken not to drip too much onto oneself while eating.
I always love eating shawarma. The undeniably good taste of the well-roasted meat mixed in with the vegetables and tabbouleh topped with spicy hot sauce... It is really a delicious experience.
With the advent of food carts on the downtown Vancouver streets, one would think I might have found a replacement for Babylon shawarma. But not yet...
As I sat in my car and absorbed my shawarma, I reflected on the symbiotic relationship of Babylon Cafe to their customers. It is indeed a noble and good thing to seek to provide top-notch quality at a reasonable or extremely reasonable price. Hopefully this continues for a long, long time.
Long live Babylon Cafe!