The place for fast-food shawarma

With so many kebab and shawarma restaurants in Glendale it was only a matter of time before a fast-food version opened. So it is with the aptly name Shawarma Factory.

Here you can get your favorite Middle Eastern wrap or plate in a casual, speedy, have-it-your-way environment. Sliced meat is stacked on long, vertical skewers and is cooked slowly, rotating in front of heating elements. When you place your order, and not a minute before, a goodly amount of chicken, beef, pork or lamb is shaved off with a long knife and drops into the bowl below.

Then, depending on your preferences, you can choose from accompaniments like cucumber, onion, tomato, jalapenos, green peppers, olives, pickles, lettuce and the like. It’s all wrapped up in a pita or Lavash for $4.99, usually with tahini sauce. Or have the meat served plate-style with salad, tzatziki (yogurt sauce), and some of the tastiest, most buttery rice around for $6.99.

Not to be left out of the kebab craze, Shawarma Factory also offers chicken and beef kebab sandwiches and plates for the same prices. You have to wait 15 minutes for them to grill though, and I’m not sure they’re worth it. One thing that is worth waiting for is the basket of French fries ($1.49). They’re hot, fresh, thin and crispy on the outside. They’re good plain or put inside your wrap.

As far as the wraps go, while they’re not bad, I have definitely had better shawarma elsewhere. What Shawarma Factory has going for it is free, easy parking in the back, casual fast-food décor such that a lone diner would be perfectly comfortable dropping in for a quick bite, and convenient late-night hours. Drinks are in a cooler (translation: no free refills) but big picture windows allow for nice people watching. The service is uneven: friendly to some, not-so-friendly to others.

I’d say if you’re in the neighborhood and you’re looking for an inexpensive, quick lunch or late-night burger alternative, think about Shawarma Factory.

Lisa Dupuy has been reviewing local restaurants since 2008. She can be reached at LDupuy@aol.com.

Infobox:

What: Shawarma Factory

Where: 919 S. Central Ave., #C, Glendale

When: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Prices: Sandwiches $4.99; Plates $6.99; French fries & drinks, $1 to $2

Contact: (818) 244-3334 or www.shawarmafactory.net