Hyderabad: If there is one thing our city is known for in terms of fast food, it is shawarma. There has always been a lot of competition between fast-food joints as to which shawarma joint is the best. Mohammadia Shawarma at Nanalnagar, beside pillar no. 64, until about four years ago seemed to be the best option, especially as the food there was reasonable.
One thing that many like about Mohammadia is its special adding of extra mayonnaise which is generally thicker than other places. The taste of the food there has for most parts been worth it, barring the occasional stomach upset one may have at times. Recently, the place seems to have updated its recipe, diversified its menu and also improved the joint in general. Siasat.com on Monday night went to review the popular shawarma joint. Here is what we found:
Ambiance 3/5: As one would enter the shawarma joint, the delicious aroma of kebabs and grill chicken would force themselves in the nose and have an impact on our stomachs. Mohammadia Shawarma has a decent set-up for a fast food joint and is perfect for a gang of four to hang out. The table is comfortable but not comfortable enough to go there with a family. The only air conditioner there however was also closed.
Hygiene 2/5: Considering it is a fast food joint, however, it is not thoroughly clean. None of the waiters nor any of the cooks were seen to be wearing gloves, and one can only hope that their soap is is of good quality. Further, there is no tissue papers or hand sanitizer on the table as well and the hand wash area is not desirable either. There are also onions left in the open, which absorb everything, good and bad from the environment. It can potentially be a cause of diarrhea.
Menu 4/5: The menu is diverse with all types of Chicken shawarmas including regular, donor, and special shawarmas. There’s also barbeque and grill chicken available alongside Chinese food items. Moreover, there’s vegetarian food for vegetarians. There’s no option of mutton or beef shawarma.
Table 2.5/5: The tables are kind of clean, but we wouldn’t recommend eating food fallen on it. Only two types of sauces are available, green chilli and tomato. Aside from that, only three of the six tables in the hall had both sauces available. They charged an extra Rs 20 for mayonnaise. Four people can comfortably sit at one table. The waiting time was 13 minutes.
Taste 4/5: This reporter from Siasat.com had ordered a BBQ chicken shawarma and a Malai Kabab shawarma. The first bite was empty, full of the rumali roti with little pieces of chicken and a lot of mayonnaise. The second bite is the bang when the chicken flows in with the mayonnaise. The quality of the chicken was good. However, there are hints that it was probably frozen chicken which is fair enough for a fast food joint.
The third bite is fairly balanced, and the fries there however make our jaws work a little harder. The chicken combined with the french fry was palatable. After adding two sauces, the taste of the food diversifies, pleasing one’s taste buds. The last few bites are the best, maintaining a perfect balance, overflow with mayonnaise with the best pieces of chicken and a balanced quantity of fries. By the end of it, one’s hunger is satisfied and the experience is a good balance between taste and quantity.
Quality 3.5/5: The quality was fair, the roti, however, didn’t taste fresh. It seemed like it was just heated before being served. The chicken was however amazing if considered in terms of fast food.
Pocket-friendliness 4/5: Mohammadia shawarma is what you would call “worth the cost.” The food is not overpriced. An average meal of two people including drinks would cost around rupees 320.
Overview: The famous Mohammadia shawarma lives up to the popularity it has rightly gained over the years. However, it needs to improve in the areas of hygiene and service. Wouldn’t term it the best shawarma in Hyderabad, but Mohammadia does qualify as one of the better options available.