Sober Grecian

I have just had the pleasure of having a small doner from the Grecian - quite sober due to a mix-up in eating arrangements. I wandered over and it was still light outside! The lamb shish was seriously considered, it is the same price as the standard doner and the chunks were sat waiting in the fridge, looking juicy and tempting.

I went for a small doner, with lettuce and cucumber. The elephant leg looked supremely juicy and the person before me had ordered two large doners, so the fresh unexposed layer underneath was yet more increased in intensity and was oozy and tender. With my new found clarity in thinking, I added carrot and tomato from their extensive salad bar - a wise choice. The tomato added bursts of freshness; the carrot added padding and a crisp note that cabbage often fills - but without the dry bitter tang. It came wrapped, but with no crudely fashioned pouch in the paper so it fell apart quite badly. In fact, coupled with a poorly opened pitta I was seriously debating taking it back and demanding how they propose I could eat the thing.


The left hand side wrapped up into a wonderful sandwich however, I was very satisfied indeed in the end.

I end on a sad note. On walking back I passed the Arches, the young pretender preparing for a busy night. We only made fleeting eye contact, but I could sense the sadness in his eyes - I was clearly clutching a rival's kebab. I walked passed Effes and they didn't even look up. Therein lies the difference between the two, and why I shall always love the Arches.

The Arches, Again

I tried to stop myself: I toyed with the idea of Ritas again, even wandering to M&Ms on Whiteladies Road; but the fact my flat is situated about 200 yards from three fine kebab establishments meant the only real consideration was Efes, Arches or Grecian?

I initially thought Efes, but their elephant leg more closely resembled a stray dog leg so I marched on. I passed the Arches on the opposite side of the street and could see the young pretender at work at a plump, juicy looking doner. I finally arrived at the Grecian as it started to drizzle, a warm charcoal grill and surly welcome was just what I needed - but their doner was pale, thin and unnappealing. I went to the Arches.

Slightly moist (in more ways than one), I ordered a small doner. This is where it gets interesting: I pretended to fiddle with my camera, turned the flash off and got a couple of photographs of the kebab skewer and the Young Pretender at work! - A genuine scoop, exclusive to kebablog.



Expertly shaving the kebab there. And here is the finished product, note the patch of grease that seeped out of the polystyrene and through several sheets of paper.

*due to technical problems, this picture cannot currently be displayed. It depicts a small doner with cucumber, lettuce and garlic sauce*

The flesh was darker than usual, deep and rich in lamby flavour. I also believe they must have changed their pitta provider as the last couple of Arches kebabs have had decicious, soft bread rather than the hard tasteless ones of old. Or maybe they are just avoiding overgrilling them, this does seem to tie in with the dissapearance of Perfectstubble. Coincidence? I think not. I do have a criticism of their garlic sauce, it was far too thick - definitely a mayo rather than a sauce. it becomes sickly and cloying, it creates dense masses of garlicky salad rather than acting as a binding agent to tie the disparate parts of the snack together.

Just a short note about last week's kebab, apparently I said "love you, bye!" to the server in the Grecian. Not a lot else to say about that really - but I feel I was expressing my genuine emotions at the time and I shall never apologise for that.