Is the Damascus Shawarma from Sadeeq Agro worth the hour-long wait?
Sadeeq Agro’s flagship restaurant has gained popularity in Dhaka’s food scene with their super-hyped shawarmas.
It was actually my third attempt tasting the super-hyped shawarma by Sadeeq Agro. Thankfully, it was successful this time around.
Previously, when I tried ordering, the cashier asked me to drop my number and wait around an hour to get the food which did not quite go with my patience level.
For those in tune with Dhaka's food scene, the buzz surrounding Sadeeq Agro's flagship restaurant in Gulshan 2 is hard to miss. Known as one of the country's leading meat suppliers, Sadeeq Agro has upped the ante by bringing in a Syrian chef to helm its open kitchen.
Every time you pay a visit to the restaurant, you will see a crown in front of the kitchen, observing the entire shawarma-making process (which created the hype).
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This restaurant offers shawarmas in two variants: beef and chicken. To understand the difference, I ordered both the Regular Chicken Damascus Shawarma (Tk300) and the Special Chicken Damascus Shawarma (Tk350).
The regular one had a regular appearance, pit-roasted layers of chicken, that were sliced and wrapped in pita. The chicken portion was quite generous and overall, it tasted good.
If you are familiar with the taste of Middle Eastern shawarmas, you will love it. But if you compare it with local Bangladeshi shawarmas, which are sweet inside due to the mayo-based sauces, you may find Damascus shawarma disappointing.
On the other hand, the special one came in a gigantic loaf that had a brand logo stamped on it. It was served with coleslaw and salad. The shawarma also had a layer of mozzarella cheese, which did not sit well with me.
I found the combination of the special Damascus Shawarma very off-putting and did not like the taste either.
I also ordered a Wajbat Shawarma (Tk450) from the waiter's recommendation, which was an actual win. The Wajbat Shawarma is more of a dine-in item. It came on a big plate, with a generous amount of shredded beef, a large pita, fries, and coleslaw.
The beef was surprisingly delicious, and it reminded me of the homemade jhura beef during Eid-ul-Adha. They gave us tomato ketchup and a curd-based sauce too. For me, this is the item worth visiting the restaurant again and waiting in a queue for.
Beyond the shawarmas, the restaurant offers a variety of Bangladeshi cuisine and ready-to-eat sweets, singaras, and confectionery delights, rounding out the culinary experience.
