Shawarma is not new to us. Roadside stalls and small eateries at street corners in Pune offer this delicious Middle Eastern wrap, but hygiene is always a concern. Addressing this concern, Shreekant Gumal (38) set up a franchisee of Shawarma Spot. He also realised his dream of starting an eatery.
Shawarma Spot is the brainchild of Dilip Bhosale, chef and inventor of the franchise. He worked for six years in the US and spent a decent amount of time in the Gulf before he introduced Middle Eastern food to people here.
This small restaurant on Baner-Balewadi Road offers a perfect blend of Middle Eastern flavours and the tangy taste of Indian food. Their experiment with food is loved by many. Gumal, who is an entrepreneur, always wanted to explore more, so he went on to take the franchisee of Shawarma Spot. They are a team of total 10 people, eight in the kitchen and two members comprising service staff.
“Just the day before inauguration, I was very worried. Introducing street food in a restaurant is a little risky. First two weeks went really well, though I had a doubt for the coming days. But it has been five months since we started and the response has been amazing. Ninety per cent people who come here are our regular customers,” he says. Baner has an ample amount of IT crowd, and Gumal believes that as per customer demand, one must supply the product. He aims to compete with international fast food chains and establish an authentic Indian brand.
The interiors are pleasant, mostly done up in yellow. Gumal says that they have chosen yellow as their theme because the colour is known for appetite stimulation.
They offer 10 types of non-vegetarian shawarma including Egg Shawarma, Chicken Shawarma, Lebanese shredded Shawarma, Chicken Salami Shawarma and more. “On a daily basis, we use 30-35 kg of chicken,” says Gulal.
Vegetarians needn’t be disappointed. They can choose from three different types of veg shawarma like Mix Veg Shawarma, Falafal Shawarma and Paneer Tikka Shawarma.
When it comes to the wrap exterior, they have two variants — Khaboos Roti (made with all-purpose flour) and Brota Bread (made with 25 per cent all-purpose flour and 75 per cent wheat flour). They are planning to offer a few more healthy options like Wheat Roti. One can also order their Shawarmas through any food delivery app.
In the vegetarian category, Falafal Shawarma and Paneer Tikka Shawarma are the most popular, both online and on table. In the non-veg category, Lebanese shredded Shawarma and Chicken Malai Tikka Shawarma are in demand.
With an increasing number of Indians getting health conscious, marrying health and taste is a challenge for most restaurants but not for Shawarma Spot. They offer customised Shawarma Salads as well. The restaurant makes its own spices and the stuffing to make sure customers get quality food. For those who need sweet shawarma, they put extra mayonnaise in the stuffing. They also offer chicken nuggets for kids made as per their taste.
Apart from solid food, they offer a range of beverages like Lemon Ice Tea, Peach Ice Tea, Mojito, along with two new flavours — Kala Khatta and Green Apple.
“Mojito and shawarma is the best combination,” says Gumal, adding “We have customers from various age groups with various types of tastes. We have customers coming from high profile backgrounds who love and praise the taste as well.”
Gumal says that his customers love the desi taste and appreciate the product. It keeps him motivated to put the best version on the customer’s plate. Neetu Bhoyar, a customer at the restaurant, says, “I’ve had shawarma many times before, but nothing tastes as good as this. Being a vegetarian, we have to compromise on taste many a time, but not here. The stuffing is good with the desi flavour. Also at Shawarma Spot, the food is clean and cooked with minimum oil. The Mojito is also good here, so good that we asked for a repeat. I would say that for vegetarians and health conscious individuals this place is a must visit.”
Being an environmentally conscious food chain, they parcel food in handy paper wraps designed as per the convenience of customers.
ST READER SERVICE
Location: Shop No 2, Ganraj Chowk, Baner
Timings: 12 noon-midnight
