Monty’s Shawarma, right on main Sharae Faisal in Karachi, really comes alive after sunset, every day. It’s probably because of its close proximity to the TRG Plaza that houses the Ibex Call Centre, from where it attracts most of its young patrons, looking for a snack, or a quick bite between shifts.

But it’s not like it doesn’t do business throughout the rest of the day. In fact, far from it. Visit it on Sunday mornings and you see a long fleet of cars parked right on Sharae Faisal and all along the service road. Patrons enjoy crispy lachha parathas, stuffed chicken cheese or pizza parathas, spicy half-fry eggs served sunny side up and spicy omelettes, chased down by bottomless cups of piping-hot doodh patti chai. But nothing outsells the hero of the menu: the classic shawarma.

It’s no surprise that the shawarma is the star at Monty’s Shawarma in Karachi

There is a variety of shawarmas at Monty’s — from the cheapest basic shawarma, to the diet-conscious suleimani shawarma, to the priciest shawarma platter. In between there’s a host of flavours and stuffings to choose from.

As you bite into the freshly assembled shawarma rolled up in butter paper, the creamy sauce, which gives the tantalising filling its kick, oozes out and trickles down the side of your mouth, satisfying a primitive urge to bite down into something juicy, meaty and wholesome. If that doesn’t get you salivating, then nothing can!

Young people are notorious for craving comfort food while working and are said to be always ready to snack on something that’s protein-rich, decadent and downright sinful in taste, and Monty’s Shawarma ticks all these boxes.

It’s not unhealthy, unlike junk food, for the sole reason that the whole wheat flatbread that forms the base of the shawarma is a much healthier option than the fluffy white bread buns used in fast food, or the processed meats. Also, it’s way less fat-saturated, as the meat is cooked on a vertical gas grill and not on a heavily greased hot plate.

That’s Monty’s Shawarma on a platter for you. Besides the youthful energy and zing of the place, where you’ll find smartly attired young boys and hip, stylish girls casually strolling by while engrossed in conversation on, or from, their shift at work, the place is worth a visit just for the sake of having a mouth-watering shawarma.

The writer is a member of staff
X: faisal_quraishi

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 3rd, 2023