KEBABERS: FIRST KEBAB FASTFOOD IN THE PHILIPPINES

Great things starts from small beginnings. Kebabers started out as a small kiosk in St. Luke's Medical Center in E. Rodriguez, Quezon City back in 2009. Its owners, engaged couples Ms. Mika Baron and Mr. Ron Ong only decided to further expand in 2012 when they've opened up a dine-in store in front of the Ateneo De Manila University (Gate2) in Katipunan. Since then, aside from offering a wide variety of Middle Eastern fare on their menu, Kebabers branches continues to expand as well. 

With Kapitolyo, Pasig branch opening on April 15, 2013--there are actually more branches to pen within the next couple of months,  Kebabers' loyal patrons will also be happy to note that the Kapitolyo branch has 48 sitting capacity in a tatami style seater amidst an AC dining area. 

Security Blanket through the kind invitation of a fellow blogger friend, was able to try Kebaber's unique beef, chicken and fish kebab! Yes, for health-conscious folks, fish kebab tops your must-try list for a truly guiltless dining experience. 

Here's my verdict: 

The place is very accessible, it had nice and well-lighted interiors plus cute comic strip frames that adds a spice of fun at the dining area. The cue dial that lights up once your order is ready also adds appeal and attracts more yuppies and youngsters alike. The staff were friendly, courteous and eager to assist anytime. 

The grub: Kebabers actually had a lot to offer. They have Shawarma, Keema, Beef Pichos (Persian Nachos), Chili fingers or Dynamite, Twister fries and of course, the house specialty--Kebabs in fish, chicken and beef. So what makes Kebabers apart from other Middle East fare resto? Kebabers' kebab had their own kebabs with cheese. Imagine digging on kebabs with honest-to-goodness oozing cheese upon each bite? Sounds heavenly right? It tastes all that and more. I couldn't express it into words but having such would truly be a heavenly experience for anyone. 

The light-up cue dial is so cute!

 The Beef Pichos on the other hand had the crunchiest and biggest nachos I've ever tasted. I'd like to think that it's made that way to be able to scoop and support the loads of toppings such as the generous cheese, minced tomatoes, cucumber and onions as well as the ground beef. An order of Beef Pichos is only P95, but it's good enough for 4 persons or a barkada. A word of caution though, your jaw might hurt from too much munching. But it's really good and a great value for money. 

Kebabs on a roll: fish, chicken and beef on a bed of rice. 

Cute wall designs like this adds character.

Mr. Nino Cardenas welcomes bloggers.

Oh, while you're at Kebabers, don't miss out on their heavenly Belgian Chocolate Cake--you won't regret it! So moist and fluffy, it's the best way to cap off every meal. 

Kebabers will soon find its way to SM Manila, SM City North Edsa, and The Fort Taguig. So Shawarma and Kebab fans, do watch out for that! 

Security Blanket thanks Myrna Roman, Kebabers, Mr. Julius and Mr. Nino Cardenas. 

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

MAZZA SHAWARMA: MORE THAN JUST YOUR USUAL SHAWARMA

Mazza Shawarma is located in Hampton Gardens Arcade

You wouldn’t think much of it at first, given the fact of its seclusion from the usual kiosk or mall stalls around the Metro, but Mazza Shawarma stands out on its own at the Hampton Gardens Arcade along C. Raymundo Avenue in Maybunga, Pasig City. And I’d have to say, you really need to try out the foods they serve and dine here in order to understand what makes it a standout and different from the rest. 

At Mazza Shawarma, Eight inches Shawarma goodies filled with real bite-sized beef and vegetables.

There was a time when shawarma had become sort of a fad among Filipinos. It was in the late ‘90s, shawarma stands seemed to have sprouted like mushrooms—that anywhere you go, you’re most likely to see a shawarma stand. But as expected, the shawarma crazed had long died down, especially since most shawarma stalls used thinly sliced marinated Carabao meat or locally known as “cara-beef” instead of the real beef. Cara-beef isn’t really a good beef alternative because it tastes like some kind of rubber band—not really chewy. I must have lost my interest in eating shawarma a long time ago. Well, that’s what I thought, until I came across something as good as Mazza Shawarma! 


Okay, so what makes Mazza Shawarma different? Forgive me for raving so much about our latest food discovery.  Unlike the other kiosk-style shawarma from the malls, Mazza Shawarma does not scrimp on ingredients, they use high-quality bite-sized beef and on each bite, one could easily identify and enjoy the bursts of flavors and spices, thus making your Persian dining experience a memorable one. 

Keema at Mazza Shawarma

The Keema goes well with either rice or pita bread. It is pretty addicting, so I am now giving you some kind of warning. The kebab regardless if it’s grilled chicken or beef is also a great meal. What I like about it, it’s grilled just right, not too burnt or overcooked. Plus, there are more choices to choose from on their menu. I even saw ice cream pita bread sandwich! I’d like to try that one on my next visit. 

Beef Kebab at Mazza Shawarma are grilled just right.

The owners, Mr. Aris Carino and Ms. Karen Dulay, both culinary graduates of Center for Culinary Arts created their own shawarma recipe as well as their special garlic sauce. It had that sweet, garlicky flavor in its every drop. The beef aren’t too thin either—they were bite sized and the good news, I don’t know how they do it, but it doesn’t leave any of that strong pungent after taste like most shawarma recipes do. So you could actually bring your date at Mazza Shawarma and eat your fave Persian food without thinking about how your breath smells like and if you’re lucky, still get to a goodnight’s kiss later. How’s that for a real treat, right?

Chicken Kebabs for the health-conscious.

Bloggers enjoy the pita dip and all the yummy delish goodies at Mazza Shawarma.

As with most Persian restaurants, they also offer other yummy treats such as Keema, grilled Beef and chicken kebab, pita pie with garlic dip, hummus and jalapeno infused hummus dip, grilled barbecue chicken, and my favorite—their mouthwatering 11 inches Shawarma Pizza! It tastes like my favorite pita pie, only bigger and good for four persons at an affordable price of P135.  It has bite-sized beef toppings generously spread on the crust. It’s crispy on the sides, crunchy (it had strips of cabbage on top), and oh-so-yummy cheesy with the garlicky sauce all over it! As I write this down I could feel myself salivating…I’d definitely come back to Mazza Shawarma. I just wish the cabbages on top will be covered again with more cheese before it’s put on the oven so that it won’t have to fall each time you take a bite. OMG! I’ve been raving about this shawarma pizza for days now! My blogger friends who also had a taste of this pizza had been tweeting on Twitter how much they miss this pizza, that’s how good it really is!

This is everyone's favorite crunchy, crispy and tasty eleven inches Shawarma Pizza!

Jalapeno hummus dip and garlic dip goes well with these pita breads for a perfect snack. 

Mazza Shawarma owner Ms. Karen Dulay, bloggers Aylin Vedad, Marco Demo, Rain De Ocampo and the author.

Oh, my, I wish I had all the space so I could further elaborate why you guys should come and visit this place, but perhaps you should visit the place yourselves and discover what makes it different.

By the way, Mazza Shawarma has free Wi-Fi for dining customers (great for bloggers like me.) and it has a flat-screened television too.

Be sure to come early as this place gets quite packed in the late afternoon to evening, the restaurant can only accommodate 28 people per turnover (that includes 9 people seated outside in the smoking area). Mazza Shawarma also offers take-out and delivery (only for nearby areas) aside from dine-in.

Come and visit Mazza Shawarma. I assure you it’s worth all the effort and the trip. I’d love to see this place expand in the next years to come. I’d like to help them spread the good news that there is such a lovely place in Pasig where people can find unbelievably delicious and affordable Persian food.

Security Blanket thanks Mazza Shawarma owners Mr. Aris Carino and Ms. Karen Dulay, the friendly staff of Mazza Shawarma and Mr. Marco Polo Demo.

Mazza Shawarma is located in Unit 2 Hampton Gardens Arcade, C. Raymundo Avenue, Brgy. Maybunga, Pasig City

Tel. Nos: (02) 404-9874

Operating hours: 11AM-10PM; Monday to Sunday

Like Mazza Shawarma on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @Mazzashawarma

Email: mazzashawarma@gmail.com

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this blog post. Opinions expressed are 100 % my own.

Kebur: A Hole-in-the-Wall Mediterranean Food Joint

It's really just a small dingy place, but don't judge the food based it.

You wouldn't think of it at first, given its seclusion from all the bustle and hustle of the city. It's actually a place where you had to really walk a few miles before reaching this hole in the wall Mediterranean food joint. No jeepney plies by the street where Kebur is located. Another downside is that Kebur only opens daily in the late afternoon starting at 6PM until about 12 midnight.  But no worries, I'd have to say it's all worth it once you get a taste of Kebur's word-by-mouth famously made Pita Pie. 

Kebur had other delightfully Mediterranean dishes on their menu such as Keema, Keema rice, Shawarma, Kebab and they also had our Filipino favorites such as Tapsilog (stir-fry marinated Beef strips, fried rice and fried egg), Sisig (sizzling pork ears), Ilocano's Dinakdakan (pork masks and ears with mayonnaise and calamansi or Philippine lemon), among many others. But their Pita Pie remains at the top of the list. It's really affordable for P40 each pie. It tastes like shawarma with a little bit of twists on it. It had loads of cheddar cheese to begin with and you had a choice of hot sauce or white yoghurt to dredge it with. I personally recommend the yoghurt, although if you're the type who go for an extra kick, then having it with hot sauce will surely give you that chili flavor you're looking for. 

My low resolution mobile camera couldn't capture the lighted menu.

Kebur's Best-seller on the menu: Mouthwatering Pita Pie!

I personally liked Kebur's Pita Pie. It's crispy up to the last bite. I could wolfed down an entire pita bread for all I care! It's rich in flavor and had this creamy goodness of the white yoghurt. I tried it with the hot sauce, and it's extremely hot! It's like having tabasco sauce on my pita bread. Just to give you an idea how enjoyed I was while munching on my pita bread, eating this reminds me of pizza with shawarma toppings and yoghurt dip. I must have been to heaven eating this yummy pita bread. 

Their other Best-seller: Shawarma with yoghurt dip

My family loved Kebur's Shawarma.  Its juicy and meaty plus it's really delicious. In fact, if you're planning to visit this joint, you had to make sure to come really early as both Shawarma and Pita Pie sells like hotcakes.  Most people flock to Kebur's for take out of their Pita Pie and Shawarma.  Aside from that, Kebur is basically a small bar, so expect that they are also serving alcoholic drink. Kebur is such a small place that it gets really packed even outside especially on a Friday or on weekends. 

We were told that Kebur's owned by a former overseas Filipino worker who used to work in the Middle East. His fascination and love for Mediterranean food had given him an idea to put up a mini-bar cum food joint where he could savor and enjoy his favorite food even without leaving the country. He also made it a point to keep the foods on his menu affordable because he wants to share his love for Mediterranean food to the masses. 

If you're adventurous when it comes to food and a certified carnivore, Kebur's the best place to go. It promises good food without emptying your wallet. 

Kebur's is located on 20th Avenue in Cubao Quezon City (going to Boni Serrano Avenue from P. Tuazon). 

It is open daily from 6PM-12MN. 

Turk's Shawarma: The Best Shawarma Experience

The sign board says it all: "The Best Shawarma Experience"

I never liked anything with onions on it, not until I came across Turk's Shawarma. It's basically just a small kiosk located in most SM Malls and foodcourts. My sister and I were about to watch a movie flick and she was craving for shawarma, so we had to look around the food court to look for one. When she saw the sign, she immediately said, "Eureka!" I thought, why does she have to be so excited to eat shawarma? She had asked if I wanted to order one, I begged off. I figured, it must be a cara-beef,-one that's made from carabao's meat and not 100% pure beef from cows meat.

My sister insisted that I should try. She had tasted the same shawarma brand and according to her, it really tasted good. Eventually, I gave in to her request...I had ordered a small shawarma at P35. And what can I say? It has pure beef, not a sticky cara-beef I've often encountered in shawarma stands. It tasted great and is filling enough for a meal substitute. It goes with its tagline, "The best shawarma experience", because eating one may give you that and much more. They even have an all-meat shawarma for meat-lovers and a vegetarian shawarma for vegan.

A crew puts on all the stuff of shawarma

Shawarma at its finest.

Turk's Shawarma can be found in most SM malls and foodcourts including SM Marikina, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North Edsa.