Shawarma Land — Restaurant in Aurora

So "Aurora" and "Shawarma" aren't really the two words you frequently hear in the same sentence. When I was in the area, my intention was to try one fo the great Italian or Persian restaraunts. However, the largely positive reviews and personal recomendations persuaded me to give Shawarma Land a try. I am glad I did.

On a saturday afternoon, the restraunt was busy, which is a good sign. There was a small lineup which lasted about 5 minutes. Most patrons were served quickly and took their orders to go. The guys behind the counter were efficient, friendly and respectful.

When I try a shawarma spot for the first time, I usually order a fully loaded plate with as much variety as possible. That way, I know exactly what to order if/when I return. With that in mind, I ordered a shawarma plate with both chicken and beef. For the sdies, I ordered rice, potatoes, humus, coleslaw and turnips. I also asked for garlic sauce, tahini and hot sause. The order comes with a grocery store pita.

After a very enjoyable meal, I still don't know whether I prefer beef or chicken. Both were tender, juicy and properly seasoned. The meat wasn't too chewy or too dry.

I also don't know whether I prefer rice or potatoes. I was expecting the potatoes to be starchy and flavourless, but got a nice smoky flavour instead. The rice was also very good, though it doesn't really have a distinct flavour to write about (nor should it).

The humus (served in extremely generous quantities) was bland. I woudl not order it on its own. However, it was really tasty when mixed with the shawarma meat.

The coleslaw was surprisingly good. It was not overly sour or mushy.

The turnips were a little salty for my liking and are the only item I wouldn't ask for again.

The portions are generous. However, the proportions between the sides could be a lot better. I felt like there was too much rice and humus and not enough of everything else. My plate had only a bit of the veggies and several slices of potato. By the end of my meal, I was left with a bunch of rice and humus on my plate (which don't really go well on their own).

A meal like this is best served with a bottle of Ayran (a yogurt drink) which is pretty common at middle-eastern restraraunts. Perhaps the management team at Shawarma Land should...

I revisited Shawarma Land for the second time today since I think 2019 because I wanted to give it another try. I felt that maybe my thoughts from my first and only experience were outdated because the reviews nowadays are primarily positive and thoughtful. My original impression was that the shawarma plate was unfortunately underwhelming. I so want to like this place, but again I am left with the same feelings. I'll explain why;

Note that my review is for the shawarma plate only, since that's all I've ever ordered (and the only thing I order when I ever get shawarma). The portion is small relative to what other restaurants serve for takeout at a similar price point. $18 and change before tax for a plate, and with a side of baklava (which was delicious by the way), $27.

Now when it came to the components of the plate, the only thing I found was done right was the salad, which was fresh and had varied ingredients. The potatoes were not very seasoned and the texture was really average. Again, the portion was quite small. The rice was also very average, missing flavour. The beef was relatively dry. On top I had their garlic sauce which I didnt find to be very garlicky. All in all, I have to say it was a boring shawarma plate. I have been having shawarma for many years, and have tried different styles over the course of my time living in Ottawa, Montreal, and now here in the GTA. This one is majorly lacking in taste, portion, and quality of the preparation. I guess this is the best thing in Aurora, but by no means would I drive more than 15 min for this. There are, in my opinion, superior options in Richmond Hill and in Scarborough. This is my honest review.

-- Edit, after response from the owner.

Upon reading such a petty and ungracious response I've decided that I cannot recommend this restaurant. Making a farce of review where legitimate improvements can be made is unprofessional and quite an embarrassing way to run a business. I've removed a star for the poor attitude and reception. To conclude I'd like to clarify that I didn't wait in a line to order my food that day, it was afternoon and though people were seated eating, there was no queue to order. Nowhere did I suggest that this was an issue, yet for whatever reasons you've decided to project it and give it undue weight....

Go here. Now. You will not regret it, this place is the real deal with homemade everything, fast friendly service and friggin awesome food. I have been coming here almost weekly for about a year now, and can honestly say I have never had a bad experience, ever.

Pros: friendly service (I see in other reviews bitching about waiting - you don't rush good food), excellent top notch food, great portion sizes, reasonable prices.

Cons: lacking any kids options. Because you put the hot sauce on the shawarma plates (because I want it) it means I can't share with the little one. I strongly recommend adding a kid sized plate option, same food, smaller portion. This will round out your menu a little better and bring more families in. Quite frequently I have to stop here for my wife and I and then stop somewhere else for something for my daughter. You're letting money walk out the door - a few kids options would certainly bring in more business.

Just my opinion :)

Overall fantastic local gem, keep up the quality and I'll keep coming...