On Princess St., right beside Tommy’s, lies the one and only: Dr. Shawarma. The name is deceiving as Dr. Shawarma offers more than shawarma; it offers heavily underrated South Asian food.
Don’t go to Dr. Shawarma for the shawarma; go to be wowed by authentic dishes from the Indian subcontinent. Here are some recommendations from Journal staffers for what you need to get next time.
The connection to home
It sucks being so far from home. I live on the other side of the country, and the environment at Queen’s makes me question my sense of belonging and identity.
Dr. Shawarma offers me comfort food and a sense of closeness to home. When I walk in and see the staff—fellow South Asian folks—I can’t help but think of my own family and friends. The food they make is what nourished my body for so long. I so dearly miss it.
The food is great to share and gives me pride to express my culture with my close friends, my family away from home.
Chicken korma
Kormas can be made with any type of meat, but usually at Dr. Shawarma it’s made with goat, lamb, beef, or chicken. Dr. Shawarma can also whip up some great vegetarian options. The dish consists of chicken pan-seared in ghee oil, and a lot of spice and flavouring.
Onions, yoghurt, and rose water make the backbone of the dish, and Dr. Shawarma does an amazing job of balancing the flavours. Chicken korma can be served with naan and, in many cases, white rice.
Although this sounds like a heavy meal, considering the amount of flavour and spices, the dish is light and nutritious. The curry is thicker at Dr. Shawarma because they use tomato. I think this is the key ingredient in making me feel full and amazing.
Ice cream falooda
Sweets from the sub-continent can often overpower the Western palette, but I think this is the perfect dessert for all—except those with dairy and lactose allergies.
Falooda combines jelly, condensed milk, ice cream, rose syrup, and very thin vermicelli. There are nuts in this dessert, so be mindful of that. Think of it as a bougie ice cream float that has more complexity.
This dessert is refreshing and tasty, plus it’s a great way to recover from the spicy meal you just had. It’s a great stand-alone treat on a hot day.
—Asbah Ahmad, Senior News Editor
Necessary doctor’s visit
As someone who tends to stay up late, it can be hard to find food options that fit my lifestyle in Kingston. I was honestly hesitant to try Dr. Shawarma until my friends convinced me; since then, it’s become part of my personality.
Dr. Shawarma is a welcoming place. It’s there for you at 2 a.m. when you finish a coding assignment, after a night out with friends, or when all you need is to get all the besties together and talk.
From the night I broke up with my boyfriend to the many nights of laughter that followed afterwards, Dr. Shawarma has given me a lot of memories. Whenever I take a bite of biryani, I can’t help but reminisce on all the times my friends and I have shared together while enjoying their food.
Chicken biryani
A walk-in special for a reason, chicken biryani is spiced chicken breast pieces served over flavorful tomato rice. It comes with a side of yoghurt sauce in case they make it extra spicy.
It may be inconsistent, but it’s consistently comforting and filling. It usually takes me two meals to get through it. Chicken biryani is perfect for the Mondays you don’t want to cook or anytime you’re struggling.
Plus, it’s a lot more flavorful than the grilled chicken and rice combo that gym bros tend to eat—proof you can get your gains and not sacrifice flavour.
Aloo tikki chaat
Aloo tikki chaat is a vegetarian option. The chickpeas, with dill chutney over spiced potato patties, are refreshing and filling. This is another go-to recommendation if you can’t handle spice or are craving fried potatoes that are more exciting than french fries.
—Monica Aida Lopez, Contributor
Tags
comfort, Culture, Food, Princess St., Shawarma
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