THE invitation came after I posted about how the Google direction finder tried to give me directions straight from UP-Diliman to Davao City to this new shawarma place.
Before proceeding... This is what I have been ranting about... for restaurant owners to include a real photo map and not a Google map to their place if they ever have a social media account.
In the first place, people do not go try a place immediately, thus, having an idea of where it is through an illustrated map will bring in a customer or two more than the usual.
Second, Google map directions, especially in Davao can be crazy like this one restaurant that clearly stated it's along Magsaysay Avenue Extension but the Google map directions is insisting that I proceed to Bajada. *End of rant.*
But weeks passed and there was no time to brave the traffic of J.P. Laurel Avenue, until last Black Saturday as I opted to abstain from meat for two days and the carnivore within was already demanding to be let out.
The destination: Alibaba Shawarma on Rowi Square along Mamay Road (aka Angliongto Avenue, aka Damosa).
Rowi Square is that compound that is now filled up with small Japanese restaurants and several other food spots after Nikkei Jin Kai and right before Sumo Asia Hotel.
Once again, there was just Imee and I as Trisha is somewhere in the Sahara Desert while Deng had some classmates to meet up with. (Miggy's a vegetarian...)
Since we were in a shawarma place, we got shawarma: The special beef shawarma (it's their best, the waitress said). I also got the four-cheese pizza because I was feeling “takaw-mata.” Imee got the onion strings (yes, strings, because they are thinly sliced).
The shawarma is huge and has one whole sunnyside up egg inside. The mayo is garlicky, and I hope they will continue to keep it garlicky and never ever make it sweet, eveeerrr. (Just stressing a point here).
I like their chili sauce, too. Although I suggest that they make the nozzle of their sauce container a bit bigger. The solid stuff in the sauce can't get through the tiny hole designed for catsup and vinegar to pass through. The pizza is good and the onion strings, as well, although, they're too finely sliced for my taste.
The place deserves another visit. But I have to stop by when my tummy's real empty so that I can gorge. Where's Alibaba, again? It's at Rowi Square, that compound after Nikkei Jin Kai along Mamay Road in Lanang where there are many small Japanese restaurants.