Acton Business Centre
Building · North Acton
School Rd, London NW10 6TD, UK
Highlights
Iraqi grill with exceptional lamb shawarma and lentil soup
School Rd, London NW10 6TD, UK Get directions
Iraqi grill with exceptional lamb shawarma and lentil soup
School Rd, London NW10 6TD, UK Get directions
"Some sandwiches don’t travel, as Will Smith well knows. In Fresh Prince of Bel Air, knowing that Will is homesick for his native Philly, the Banks family buy him an unrecognisable cheesesteak from a bougie shop in Beverley Hills. “Look at the bag, no grease stain” he points out. London cheesesteaks are much the same, and even with those executed with the utmost respect lose something in translation. So what does a London cheesesteak really look like? Maybe something like the shawarma sub from Al Enam, an Iraqi grill restaurant situated on the outskirts of Park Royal, where the Acton Business Centre has turned into a small hub for the local Lebanese and Iraqi communities. When chopped and sliced, its lamb shoulder has the gumminess that a good cheesesteak should have, with the cheese wizz replaced by tahini. Order tahini wit (pickles), and then devour immediately on the concrete." - James Hansen, Jonathan Nunn
"At Park Royal’s legendary Iraqi institution, both lamb and chicken shawarma options are available to order as part of their signature sandwich, or alternatively as a plate. In the sandwich, a brioche-esque roll of bread surrounds the charred meat, and its accompaniments of freshly chopped salad, Iraqi pickles, and tahini. Amba can be added on request. As a plate, it is served on a fluffy tanoor bread which soaks up the juices without losing its enticing doughy texture, and can be ordered with fresh salad, rice or chips. There is also an option to have the lamb shawarma with tomatoey red rice." - Joel Hart
"A stalwart within the Arab community in West London, this bakery in Acton has been around for over two decades and has been serving everything from sambousek meat (small pastries filled with meat), to lahem beajin (folded minced lamb flatbreads). Go for a selection of mana’eesh and mini pastries. It’s important to note that each man’oushe is £2, so stocking up on some to eat later should be a no-brainer." - rianne shlebak
"On the outskirts of the Park Royal industrial estate at Acton Business Centre, a remarkable flowering of Iraqi and Lebanese restaurants has developed around what would now be called “dark kitchens,” giving a public interface to traditional catering businesses. Al Enam is the largest and most impressive of these restaurants. Lamb shawarma is exceptional here, chopped fine and stuffed in sub rolls with chips, it has the pleasing soft, yielding texture of a good Philly Cheesesteak. Fish cooking is beyond the capability of most grill houses, with butterflied seabass cooked over flames hotter than hell, turning the skin into a burnt shell to scoop perfectly cooked flesh from. Still, the best thing may just be the lentil soup, given gratis to every table, served with bread, lemon and pickles." - Jonathan Nunn
