Don’t tell the folk over at the avant-garde eateries Noma and Geranium, but for many visitors to Denmark’s capital, the biggest culinary sensation isn’t Nordic fusion.
That honour goes to Shawarma Grill House in Copenhagen which, for more than 30 years, has been dishing out some truly spectacular Middle Eastern comfort food, including an outstanding shawarma sandwich. The city’s high-end restaurants may get all the headlines, but millions of Danes and tourists can’t be wrong.
Shawarma Grill House lies at the start of Copenhagen’s pedestrian-only shopping street, Strøget, nearest Radhuspladsen. It has the appearance of a narrow fast-food joint, but ample seating is tucked into the back and upstairs. Usually there’s a queue of people waiting for a menu that includes standard Middle Eastern offerings including falafel, kebabs, grilled chicken and kofta (and a hamburger, for those with less appreciation for the real deal).
But the main attraction is its shawarma sandwich. Massive spits of marinated meats greet diners as they enter, promising an unforgettable sandwich. Servers slice off pieces of the fragrant meat, a combination of beef and lamb, into a warm round of pitta bread. They then quickly top it off with a salad of lettuce and tomato and a dash of a white sauce made from tahini and yogurt. And you are set.
To those who doubt how those simple ingredients can be transformed into a magical experience in your mouth, embrace it. Leave behind all thoughts of the rubbery gyro meat you are familiar with in other establishments. The crisp lettuce is a delicious contrast to the tender, moist meat while the fresh, soft pitta ties it all together splendidly. If you are brave enough, add some of the red chilli sauce, harissa, metal bowls of which are at every table. Its sweet-sour-hot flavour is the best complement to the sandwich.
At just 36 Danish kroner (Dh24) each, one sandwich is filling. Two is even better.
I grew up partly in Denmark and fondly remember going to this restaurant with my family, sometimes a couple of times a week, to feast on a shawarma. It is still the first thing I eat when I land in Copenhagen and they constitute most of my meals for as long as I am there. My record has been seven sandwiches in a three-day weekend.
Of course, it’s possible I am biased. But I was heartened when, during my most recent visit to the restaurant, I heard one Egyptian customer tell his friend: “I told you it’s the best shawarma in the world.” The friend nodded in agreement, his mouth too full of sandwich to talk.
artslife@thenational.ae
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 100 ) US$175,000 1,200m
Winner: Baccarat, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (78-94) $60,000 1,800m
Winner: Baroot, Christophe Soumillon, Mike de Kock
7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 $200,000 1,600m
Winner: Heavy Metal, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.15pm: Handicap (95-108) $125,000 1,200m
Winner: Yalta, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Balanchine Group 2 $200,000 1,800m
Winner: Promising Run, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Handicap (95-105) $125,000 1,400m
Winner: Oh This Is Us, Tom Marquand, Richard Hannon
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
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