The Dish: Chicken shawarma from Jerusalem Pita and More

Jerusalem Pita and More, which you might also know as Jerusalem Bakery, is an east side stalwart that, until recently, I have somehow neglected. Now I realize what a longtime mistake I have made. As I still prefer takeout over dining in — hey, it works with my busy schedule — I ordered the chicken shawarma combo for delivery via UberEats. After a wait of just 20 minutes, the delivery driver left my order at the door — very convenient!

If there is one type of cuisine I do not give enough attention, it would definitely be Middle Eastern. Every time I eat at a quality Middle Eastern restaurant I am more than enamored with the food. After this experience, I think it’s time I stop being a gross creature of habit — I eat way too much fast food — and just made it more of a regular fixture in my lunchtime routine.

Jerusalem’s chicken was delicious and savory, thanks to a perfectly executed blend of spices. Though I absolutely cannot claim to be a shawarma expert, I felt perhaps it could’ve been a little spicier. That said, I am definitely guilty of overwhelming food that doesn’t need to be extra spicy with seasoning or hot sauce. 

To eat each item of the combo separately would be weird and boring. Combining the chicken with rice, tabouli and hummus inside of the soft pita bread created a wrap that I could not get enough of. Even though one single combo entrée was more than enough for a satisfying lunch, I definitely could have eaten extra.