Osmow's Shawarma — Restaurant in Ottawa

Osmow's Shawarma - A Flavorful Journey to Middle Eastern Culinary Excellence

Osmow's Shawarma stands as a shining beacon in the realm of Middle Eastern cuisine, offering a dining experience that tantalizes the taste buds with an explosion of flavors. My recent visit to Osmow's was nothing short of a culinary delight, leaving me eager to share the excellence that defines this shawarma haven.

The moment I entered Osmow's, the inviting aroma of grilled meats and aromatic spices set the stage for what would be a memorable meal. The vibrant and clean ambiance created an atmosphere perfect for both a quick bite and a leisurely dining experience.

The menu, a carefully curated selection of Middle Eastern classics, showcased the authenticity and quality that Osmow's is renowned for. My eyes were immediately drawn to the shawarma options, and I opted for the classic chicken shawarma wrap – a decision I would soon savor.

The chicken shawarma wrap was a masterpiece of culinary craftsmanship. The tender, succulent pieces of grilled chicken, combined with a medley of crisp vegetables and a generous slathering of Osmow's signature garlic sauce, created a symphony of flavors that danced on my palate. The balance of spices was impeccable, each bite delivering a harmonious blend of savory and tangy notes.

The freshness of the ingredients was evident, and the attention to detail in the preparation elevated the shawarma experience to new heights. The warm, pillowy wrap enveloped the ingredients perfectly, ensuring that every mouthful was a blissful journey through layers of taste and texture.

The menu diversity at Osmow's is commendable, catering to various preferences with options ranging from falafel wraps to loaded platters. The sides, including the hummus and falafel, were equally impressive, offering a delightful complement to the star attraction – the shawarma.

The service at Osmow's was prompt and friendly, adding to the overall positive experience. The staff was knowledgeable about the menu, providing helpful recommendations and ensuring that each guest felt welcomed.

In conclusion, Osmow's Shawarma is a shining example of Middle Eastern culinary excellence. From the flavorful shawarma wraps to the inviting ambiance and attentive service, every aspect of the dining experience at Osmow's reflects a commitment to quality and authenticity. Whether you're a seasoned shawarma enthusiast or a newcomer to Middle Eastern cuisine, Osmow's is a must-visit destination that promises a culinary journey like no other. My visit left me not just satisfied but genuinely impressed, and I eagerly look forward to my next flavorful rendezvous at...

Atmosphere: While I can understand what you are going for with the decor. I did not at any point feel like I was in a restaurant that was going to serve me a shawarma. It felt manufactured and cold not like your typical shawarma spot.

Service: Staff were happy to help and I had my food in about 10 minutes. Staff were not prepared to answer questions about the menu, unsure if this is lack of training or just a shy employee. All questions answered, eventually.

Food: Where to begin. The line seemed like it was clean if not poorly stocked and quality control seemed lax today, many wilted or damaged ingredients. Most of these ingredient would not actually suffer from being banged up (Pickles, onion, tomato slices ect...) as they are being put into sandwiches, the appearance of "fresh today" was lacking I witnessed a father and son leave after peering over the counter and seeing your veggie inserts.

What appeared to be beef on the spit looked sad, with what I presume to be congealed fat on it as the spit was not on. Are we checking our holding temps?

I ordered a chicken shawarma, made my specifications and to the teams credit, I got what I ordered.

-Veggies were as expected less fresh than they could be. -Garlic sauce was loose and bland. -Rice was dry. -Chicken, had probably never seen the spit, bits of cartilage found, held in a metal insert pan and put straight into the sandwich, no crispy bits, no maillard, seemingly no white meat. All of this leading to a mushy texture unpleasant to the/my palate. -Sandwich overall, was soggy, floppy and torn making it messy to eat. Could have been poorly wrapped, pressed to hard or just used a broken piece of bread or it was overfilled as it was quite a large portion. Quantity over quality in this instance.

1 star was for quality, 1star was for order accuracy.

If you are from Ottawa and have not dined at Osmows before, beware it was not your typical shawarma spot. It is the Taco bell of shawarma. At 2 am after a hard night out it would probably be exactly what you want. But out for lunch with your family sunday. Just go to your favorite spot and save trying this for another...

We were honestly so excited to try this place. We are huge shawarma fans. Our excitement quickly diminished though after the first few bites. And for $50 for 2 normal meals, I expected a big winner here. So sad we won't be returning.

First off, we loved the variety that the website's menu was showing, but when you click on the order button, a number of the items are no longer available. I guess this is a location thing, but it was a bit annoying considering we already decided what we wanted but then couldn't order it.

No worries, we just went to the restaurant directly to order. However, that proved to be a waste of time. The staff were pleasant, and said they could basically make the items we wanted even though they weren't on their menu (they are on the Osmow's Shawarma website though).

My wife had a mix chicken/beef on the rocks, with some extra garlic sauce and cheese (which we paid for). She did not get the cheese... The mix she got clearly had lamb mixed in it. We know what that tastes like, and it was NOT beef. And the beef was super chewy and tough. What cut of beef is this supposed to be? I would honestly like to know the answer to that. The chicken was also super dry.

My order was essentially a Philly Cheesestake on Stix (which was not on THIER menu). The beef was almost inedible. So tough and chewy. Ordered with cheese (and paid for it), and again....no cheese. It was supposed to have peppers and onions too (a typical Philly). I literally counted 6 tiny pieces of veggies in the whole thing. The only good thing about either of our meals was the garlic sauce. Haha.

Overall, we were so disappointed with this place and will not be going back. I know it's the location, because we've had it at other locations and it was fresh, tasty, and made the way we ordered it. The Stittsville location put zero effort or care into making our meals. Keep it up and I'm sure this place will be closed within the year. Don't eat here. Save yourself the money and the...