#shawarma wrap

We were passing through town and stopped to pick up two wraps. The menu includes signature wraps on ciabatta, pita wraps, plates, bowls, salad, sides, and drinks. The pita wrap is actually made with lavash. I’m not sure why it’s called a pita wrap.

For the wraps, plates, and bowls, you have an option of beef, chicken, or falafel. I wanted to make sure that the chicken option was chicken shawarma. The employee seemed unfamiliar with the term, shawarma. The poster in the window said shawarma but the menu said beef or chicken, without mentioning shawarma. I saw chicken and beef shawarma on vertical spits.

The wraps are made to order.

Pita wrap with chicken ($13.99): secret sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, parsley, onion, chicken shawarma. The wrap was ginormous, like a giant burrito, and filled with a large amount of fresh veggies. I liked all the veggies, but the chicken shawarma was very salty. Or maybe the sauce was too salty? The sauce was supposed to be spicy but didn’t deliver on the spicy heat.

The restaurant looked clean and new. It has a parking lot.

3 out of 5 stars

Pretty sure that this is an Armenian-owned restaurant because it serves chicken, beef, and pork shawarma – and it’s in Glendale. The kabobs are cooked over hot coal. The coals are in the kitchen, so the kitchen felt hot. The menu includes lavash wraps, kebabs, kebab plates, and shawarma plates. Prices are lower than average.

Shawarma wrap with lavash ($11.99): a good size flat wrap. The lavash was thin and crispy. The chicken shawarma, freshly shaved off the spit, was tender but I wanted more shawarma spices. The wrap also had tomatoes and a bell-pepper based sauce. The sauce was decent but I wanted toum.

The wrap was made to order. The restaurant looks barebones. There’s a table inside but it’s also hot because of the coals. There were a few tables outside and counter-seating.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Having visited their location in Sherman Oaks more than once, I was thrilled to hear that they opened a branch closer to home. Syrian shawarmas are simple but amazing. They’re also different from the shawarma in other countries. The shawarma is served open ended, crisped on a flat top grill, and is made with just the flatbread, shawarma (& spices), pickles, and sauce.

I’m a bit worried that Sincerely Syria’s menu is too simple: chicken or beef/lamb sharwarma wraps, with or without a side of French fries. Only bottled and canned beverages are offered. I could eat shawarma once a week but I might get tired of it. The Sherman Oaks location has a larger menu, so hopefully Pasadena will add more items later. The Sherman Oaks location even has complimentary hot tea (Pasadena does not).

Chicken shawarma wrap (6 inch, $8.99): The flatbread (it was thicker than a tortilla and not as dry as a pita) was thin and chewy, but also had some crispy parts. The shawarma was chopped up but not into tiny pieces. The spices tasted different. The garlic sauce is the potent thick kind. The chicken is moist, the spices and the garlic combined with the crispy/chewy exterior and sour pickles make for a magical combination. The portion is small but satisfying. He also threw in a container of extra garlic sauce (toum). They also have a larger size, 12” for $13.99.

Sincerely Syria took over a Mexican restaurant and it doesn’t look like they changed the décor. It’s very barebones.

5 out of 5 stars

My second Syrian shawarma experience (the first place I had it was a shawarma truck called Just Syrian Shawarma in Glendale)…and it was also fantastic. I’m officially a Syrian shawarma fan.

Syrian shawarma wraps are smaller and they contain just meat, sour pickles, and a yummy sauce. While one wouldn’t fill me up if I were really hungry, you can add fries or geta a larger wrap.

The menu includes chicken or beef and lamb shawarma wraps (6” or 12”), shawarma plates, and manakish (flatbread). You can help yourself to complimentary hot tea and the fixings (non-dairy creamer, sugar).

The kitchen is open, so you can see the beef/lamb shawarma and chicken shawarma on the vertical spits. The shawarma is shaved off the cone after you place your order. The wrap is pressed with an iron on the flattop to give it a crispy exterior. The ends are left open.

Chicken shawarma wrap, 6 inch, $8.99 with garlic sauce & pickles. The 6” round thin pita was crispy and chewy. The shawarma was chopped up but not into tiny pieces. The spices tasted different – could detect a bit of cardamom and cumin. The garlic sauce is the potent thick kind that I first had at Zankou Chicken. So good!

Order at the counter. They’ll call you when your order is ready. The place doesn’t have much character but it’s interesting that it’s so black. The walls, chairs, and tables are black. The music might be Syrian (I can’t really tell). Indoor and outdoor seating are available.

5 out of 5 stars

There’s no shortage of shawarma in Glendale, but the new Wrap It Up Shawarma manages to stand out. I hope that people try it and that it doesn’t get lost in the sea of other Mediterranean restaurants in the area.

The menu is simple: beef gyros, pork shawarma, or chicken shawarma sandwiches, wraps, or platters. There’s also a salad, fries, and loaded fries. Unfortunately for Mr. Froyo, they do not have any vegetarian entrees. The gyros and shawarma are cooked on vertical spits. Order at the counter.

Chicken shawarma 12 inch wrap ($13.99): tomatoes, pickles, onions, cabbage, cucumber, garlic sauce, house sauce wrapped in lavash. This was a big wrap. I had half for lunch and the rest for dinner. The lavash had been warmed in the panini press. Nice touch. The chicken shawarma had the texture of real shawarma that’s been shaved off the spit. It was chopped into tiny pieces – a bit strange but the wrap was still delightful. It was mostly chicken but enhanced by fresh veggies and creamy sauces. The house chunky hot sauce had an interesting blend of spices that I haven’t tasted before but loved.

The restaurant was clean and new looking. The décor was simple. Canned and bottled sodas, including yogurt drinks, are available.

4.5 out of 5 stars