Swear by the shawarma

Persian flavoursFor Versovas hip crowd Persia Darbar has long been a favourite for Indian fare But the restaurants shawarma is wellknown even among nonpatrons There are so many young working professionals here Waqt unke liye keemti hai They can enjoy this is dish on the go and its tasty says Krishna Tiwari manager at the joint who claims they sell 30 pieces a day Here the snack is accompanied by slices of carrot cucumber beetroot potato wedges cabbage and a sprinkle of chopped lettuce all spread over a thick coat of garlic sauce akin to mayonnaise Another variant olive shawarma is served with an additional topping of olives for those who like their food with a twistTIME 12 pm to 1 amAT 2 Beach Apartment Picnic Cottage JP RoadCALL 226344411COST Rs 105From left Kalimullah and Azeemullah KhanArabian nightsAzeemullah Khan who owns Seekh Paratha Inn also runs a small joint in Medina Saudi Arabia Now he and brother Kalimullah are serving shawarma outside the Indian restaurant Selling approximately 40 pieces a day the busy joint serves the dish with inhouse mayonnaise cucumber and cabbage salad chicken marinated for four hours and cooked in a vertical broiler that has become synonymous with the Middle Eastern snack and a generous dollop of red and flavourful garlic saucePeople like eating shawarma because it isnt oily or overtly spicy It is an Arabic dish and perhaps that helps add to the allureKalimullah tells usIt is easy to eat and filling which is another reason why it has become so popular We opened in 2010 and have been seeing good sales sinceTIME 12 pm to 130 amAT Mangal Orchid off Yari RoadCALL 9167619726COST Rs 100Selling like hot cakesShahabuddin Shahs stall is two years old and he opens it sharp at 3 pm to cash in on the student crowd tumbling out of a nearby college I sell 50 to 60 pieces a day with ease and mostly get male customers he reveals When asked why the snack is a smash hit Shahs endearing response is Log khaate hain iss liye bikta hai People eat it so it sells Shah serves his shawarma much like the other neighbouring stalls with beetroot fries minced chicken and mayonnaise but adds an IndianAsian twist to it by squeezing oodles of schezwan sauce on a heated piece of pita breadTIME 3 pm to 11 pmAT shop no 7 opp Madina Masjid Yari Road VersovaCALL 981910335COST Rs 60Village bitesAmong the multiple stalls kiosks and shops tucked away inside Versova village is Muskan Chinese Corner and Caterers They also serve mayonnaiseandchilligarlicsauceladen shawarma cheapest in the area Wasim Khan the owners brother sells close to 120 pieces a day Sometimes people come to pick up Chinese food but that takes a while to prepare so if they are hungry they have a shawarma while waiting Khan shares adding The Kolis fast on Wednesdays and Fridays so our sales drop on those daysTIME 3 pm to 12 amAT Sonia Apartments Silva LaneCALL 9920719869COST Rs 50At the very topTry taking a turn into Amit Nagar and you may have to crisscross your way through the sprawling crowd outside Tip Top Shawarma the localitys busiest stall Owner Parvez Qureshi says Its cheap and filling You have one shawarma and youre satisfied for the next four hours It is an easy supplement to lunch which most people here do not have the time for Qureshi is right Versova is buzzing with film and television actors writers and other professionals who seem too busy to leisurely lunch At his stall the dish is served with mayonnaise garlic sauce fries beetroot and minced chickenTIME 5 pm to 11 pmAT Amit Nagar Yari RoadCALL 9076570570COST Rs 60Kaif AnsariPopular like vada pavAt Shafiq Shawarma 70 pieces of the snack are sold each day And Shafiq Sheikh its owner says the demand is only growing Echoing his competitors he says It is easy to eat Log chalte tahelte kha sakte hain People can eat the dish on the goLocals in Versova enjoying the Middle Eastern snackKaif Ansari a 16yearold local who frequents Sheikhs kiosk says Shawarma has become like vada pav in Versova highlighting the dishs popularity At Sheikhs stall the snack is prepared with marinated chicken chopped into juicy shreds served with cabbage julienned beetroot fries and chilli garlic sauceTIME 3 pm to 1030 pmAT Near Yari Chote Miyan Nirman Cottage Yari Road VersovaCALL 9820316043COST Rs 60Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates