The Best Shawarma in London
"In his chapter of Making Levantine Cuisine, food scholar Harry Eli Kashdan argues that al pastor must be included in the category from the perspective of culinary history, because it is derived from the “signature Levantine culinary innovation of the vertical spit.” Whilst Kashdan also recognises that this may not be the case from the perspective of the consumer — particularly due to the use of pork instead of halal meats — the way the category of shawarma breaks down in London would make it amiss to omit this dish brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants; at least al pastor meat is still carved from a spit. But to burrito or to taco? Perhaps the burrito is more similar to the shawarma wrap in its capacity to hold everything in one white flour tortilla (which isn’t so far from the khobez in texture and weight), but with the addition of rice, the meat /spice/sauce contrast gets buried. The corn taco is a thoroughly different bread flavour-wise, but with the palpable sear on the meat, the parallel of charred smokiness and heavy spice with a creamy jalapeno sauce and raw onion makes for an experience not a million miles away. The slice of pineapple’s contribution to the profound abundance of flavour might take it one step further away from its ancestor, but shawarma should be proud to call the al pastor taco at La Chingada its descendant." - Joel Hart
