Restaurant Review: Classic Middle Eastern Food at Alhambra Shawarma 

• Alex Springer

I have always been a fan of tracking down the cultural origin point of things like movies, music and food. So many of the things we enjoy today represent years of evolution, and it's always fun to trace that evolution as far back as possible.

So, while I was enjoying the tacos al pastor at Kompas Taqueria a few weeks ago, I got thinking about shawarma. Both dishes rely on a vertical spit that roasts proteins like chicken or lamb in their own decadent juices, and anyone who has yet to see the majesty of a roasting meat cone will want to make tracks to Alhambra Shawarma.

As the predecessor to tacos al pastor—it's thought that Lebanese immigrants brought the technique to South America—the shawarma has had a huge impact on street food as we know it. While tacos al pastor and shawarma share a similar preparation technique, the shawarma's lavash-wrapped presentation is undisputably burrito-esque. This implies an even greater influence on this tortilla-clad favorite as well. In short, we have the ancient Ottoman Empire to thank for the widespread popularity of tacos al pastor and burritos that we enjoy today.

Despite its culinary pedigree with Mexican and South American street food, the shawarma still manages to be its own delicious self. It's something the team at Alhambra knows how to celebrate, and their command of this traditional Middle Eastern favorite made me take notice while dining at their food truck a few years back. While attending a summer carnival at the city park near my house, I kept seeing people with these vibrant, purple and yellow boxes stuffed with shawarma, falafel and fries. I finally tracked the source of this colorful deliciousness to Alhambra's food truck, and the rest is history.

Recently, Alhambra opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Taylorsville, so I swung by to see how they were doing. Fans of the food truck menu will be happy to see that not a whole lot has changed; Alhambra's combos still come in those colorful boxes, and they're as tasty as ever. Those new to Alhambra will want to check out the Alhambra Box ($16.99) that features their signature shawarma with your pick of beef, chicken or falafel and a pile of golden fries. The box also comes with two aiolis—one spicy, one mild—both of which are great with the fries.

The shawarma itself is a stellar example of the craft. Its own aioli makes it nice and saucy, while the acidic mix of tomato, onion, pickles and cilantro brings some sharpness. Whatever you choose for your protein will be tender, juicy and filled with that trademark slow-roasted flavor imparted by the vertical spit roast. You get the same experience with the falafel shawarma, so this is a great option for plant-based foodies as well.

Speaking of falafel, the falafel box ($14.99) is another great riff on a Middle Eastern classic. I appreciated the amount of falafel on display here—within a toasted flatbread bowl, you get about six or seven golden-brown falafel topped with the same tomato and onion relish you get on the shawarma. This one also comes with a mild aioli and some hummus, which go a long way to add a bit of creaminess to the crispy falafel. I found myself wishing it was easier to fold the flatbread bowl in half and scoop up the rest of the falafel so I could eat them more like a wrap; the toasty flatbread is a bit too thin and crispy for such grand designs.

Those who want their shawarma journey to be a tad more epic in scale will want to check out the aptly named Supreme Shawarma ($22.99). It is essentially what you would get if your regular shawarma ate everything else in the box, and then had everything else in the restaurant for dessert. You don't need to worry about the filling, as it comes prepared with beef, chicken, falafel and fries; the only thing missing is the restaurant's homemade baklava ($2.99). While it maintains a pretty high price point, it's easily shareable as it contains two full meals in one gigantic shawarma. Even if you don't share this, it'll be some time before you're hungry again.

I always like seeing food trucks climb the ranks and set up storefronts of their own, and that affection doubles when the food is as good as it is at Alhambra. Regardless of what you get here, you're getting something that creates a nice mix of bold flavors and traditional techniques. I also appreciate how Alhambra has gone big with some of its menu items—the only thing better than bold flavors is getting those flavors in bulk. This little shawarma joint and its satellite food truck are always worth checking out when the craving for traditional Middle Eastern cuisine hits your gut.