Zaroob is a chain restaurant serving Levant street food with several locations around Dubai. Zaroob translate to “street alley”, which is a fitting name for street food.
Street food has a rich culture in every country in the world. It was how nigiri gain popularity in Tokyo during the edo period. There’s the wildly popular Halal Guys in New York. There are dumplings in China. Tacos stands in Mexico. Kebabs in Turkey. Lastly, there are the famous Taipei night markets. It’s the first incarnation of fast food restaurants in the world. Zaroob Dubai
After I checked into my hotel, I was a little tired from my Zurich flight. However, I was starving and needed a meal before the night ended. Zaroob was a block from my hotel and I decided to give it a try since I saw a lot people coming in and out of the store. It’s not a typical street vendor firing up food on a sidewalk like NYC’s Halal Guys, but it was a brick and mortar shop located near Dubai’s IFC. Zaroob Dubai
I walked in and noticed a few patrons waiting for their food. The smell of kebabs on the grill quickly consumed my nostrils and got my stomach to growling looking for a fix. I looked over the menu then went with a Lebanese style Beef Shawarma, a side of fries and a mango drink. It came out to be about 49 AED (i.e., 13 USD), which I thought was a bit pricey for “street food”. However, brick and mortar stores are pricey to maintain. Zaroob Dubai
I took a seat outside to get some fresh air. Dubai’s heat could still be felt at 11 PM. However, it was bearable and not extremely uncomfortable. The buzzer rang then I went inside to pick up my order. The perfectly wrapped shawarma with freshly fried fries was sitting tidy in a bag for me. I decided to eat there and grabbed a seat at the high tables. Zaroob Dubai
The beef shawarma was wrapped like a burrito. The shredded beef with bits of tomatoes, parsley, onions, salted pickles and tahini sauce spread across the wrapped looked delicious. The pita wrapped was crispy and had a nice texture; the beef was a bit dry and tasted a little overcooked. The tahini sauce brought a pungent yet vibrant taste. The shawarma had an overall nice sour taste to it because of the vegetables. The mango drink was the perfect offset to the shawarma cause it brought a smoothing texture to my meal. Zaroob Dubai
Overall, Zaroob is a bit pricey for street food; however, it’s open late and provides a quick meal to end the night. The service was efficient and its steps away from Dubai’s IFC.
Check out our other United Arab Emirates articles here.
- Service - 6/106/10
- Presentation - 5/105/10
- Flavors - 6/106/10
- Decor - 5/105/10
- Ambiance - 5/105/10
Summary
Zaroob is a bit pricey for street food; however, it’s open late and provides a quick meal to end the night. The service was efficient and its steps away from Dubai’s IFC.
