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Abdul’s BBQ, a surprising little gem that would make any carnivore do cartwheels, is a Syrian Shawarma shop located just on the outside of Crystal Mall in Burnaby.

I’ve been curious about this spot, but the neon sign and all the cheaply printed pictures plastered on the doors and the walls made Abdul’s look more like a shady Internet cafe or convenience store than a restaurant. It’s a small hole in wall with just a few tables; a small counter that might be able to squeeze in about three people; and a hardworking man who clearly loves what he does — roasting meat all day to perfection and meticulously arranging combinations in a styrofoam takeout box.

Abdul’s is all about shawarmas and falafels. Towers of Halal meat are skewered on a vertical spit, ready for our friendly proprietor to carefully shave off your choice of chicken, lamb or beef. Tre and I shared a mix shawarma platter of lamb, chicken, rice, coleslaw, tabouleh salad, hummus and a pita. Abdul asked how spicy we wanted our pita spread. We were intrigued the pita even had a spread, and opted for very spicy when given the choice. He warned us, however, about the heat but hey, we’re fearless.

(Above: A Beautiful Medley of Meat: Lamb and Chicken Shawarma over a bed of rice pilaf.)

The shawarma platter was neatly arranged and we could tell there was a lot of love put into this. Tender pieces of barbecue chicken and lamb laid on a bed of fluffy buttery rice pilaf. The barbecue pieces of chicken were really tender with a smokey, barbecue flavor. The lamb was just as nice, but (unsurprisingly) drier than the chicken.

The accompanying sides were wonderful: a delicious red cabbage coleslaw made with yogurt, a finely minced light parsley salad, a lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad dressed in vinegar and spices, and garlicky hummus. Lastly, the awesome pita spread with tomato and garlic paste. The pita spread was the bomb. Literally. Not only was it fantastic, but it was freaking spicy (careful, it doesn’t feel spicy at first). The spiciness made Tre head straight for his ice cold Coke, and it kick started my hiccups.

(Top to bottom: 1. Tabouleh Salad. 2. Pita with Abdul’s own special blend of firebomb spread.)

Our shawarma platter plus one Coke, taxes and tips came to just under $13 — a good deal considering our meal was enough for two. Abdul is a one man show. He’s not a man of many words, but is friendly and hardworking. If you like Mediterranean barbecue meat with all kinds of yummy sides, Abdul’s is worth braving Metrotown traffic.

Perfect for: A nice, inexpensive BBQ plate with a pita to kick you in the pants.

The Details

4500 Kingsway, Burnaby
604.431.9498
abdulsbbq.blogspot.com

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