Restaurant review: Shabab Syrian Food, Tsim Sha Tsui – Middle Eastern fast food for less than US$10, and it’s delicious
- Small restaurant in the Star Ferry terminal building serves inexpensive Arabic food
- Shawarma, falafel, hummus and fattoush are among the favourites – and we lapped them up
Shabab Syrian Food in the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry terminal building serves inexpensive and delicious Middle Eastern fast food.
A small place – it seats just 10 diners – its menu is simple, and features many staples of the region’s cuisine.
Main courses come with side dishes of fries, salad or Arabic rice. Other side dishes, such as lentil soup and mutabal (spicy aubergine dip) with bread, will set you back HK$35; a serving of bread costs HK$15. Diners can add HK$8 for a soft drink, while a fresh juice is HK$15.
We ordered the falafel meal (HK$85) with a side of fattoush, a salad made from pieces of toasted khubz (Arabic bread) and mixed greens.
The salad was light and refreshing, and the dish came with six pieces of falafel. The deep-fried patties were crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy inside. The dish came with hummus – a dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic – and pieces of bread, which made for a satisfying and filling vegetarian lunch.
We also tried the lamb shawarma meal (HK$85) and chose the sandwich with fries. If you want a lighter meal, the sandwich is HK$70. The chicken shawarma sandwich-only option is HK$60.
The wrap was filled with a generous portion of tender, flavourful lamb, and came with pickled cucumber and delicious toum (garlic sauce). The fries were crisp and well seasoned.
The restaurant has a variety of vegetarian choices.
Seats are limited, but customers can order food to take away or for delivery.
Shabab Syrian Food, Shop KP-39A, 1/F, Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 6349 9994. Open: 10am-10pm
