The menu is extensive from strombolis to calzones to hotdogs and hamburgers. That may get people in the door, but shawarma keeps them coming back.
I confess I've only had 3 of their MME dishes, but it's enough that I had to write about it. So let's dive in to my favorite: the chicken shawarma.
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| Chicken Shawarma Platter (takeout edition) |
It comes with rice (which is underneath the generous helping of chicken in the picture), a lettuce and tomato salad, mayo-less cabbage slaw, and of course your choice of meat. The chicken is well-spiced but not too salty, the rice is rich and flavorful, and the salad and cabbage slaw add a fresh element that helps balance the whole dish. My suggestion: mix it all together so you get each element in each bite. So what's missing? Hummus! It's like the extra sauce that pulls the whole shawarma platter together. That's why ordering the side dish is a must.
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| Hummus (takeout edition) |
The hummus is great. It's creamy, not too tart, not too much tahini, and literally begs you to eat it by the spoonful. They add some kind of watery pepper on top as a garnish that I could honestly do without. It makes the texture of the hummus more watery than I like, but after you mix it in, it doesn't detract too much from the dish.
You have 2 options when ordering a side of hummus: pita chips or pita bread. Their pita chips are fried remnants of larger pita pieces. It's not those uniform, thick pieces you buy from a grocery store. The crunch adds great texture, but they can be a little oily; the thinner pieces more so. I prefer getting the pita bread, however it doesn't have as much flavor as the chips.
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| Left to Right: Shawarma Platter, Pita Bread, Hummus |
The chicken shawarma platter will set you back about $10. Add the hummus and pita side for another $5 to $6 (pita chips are $1 cheaper). The portion size is generous for the price.
The pizza at Five Boroughs is decent. While it's not the best I've eaten, it's large, thin, and very much the New York style many people crave.
Five Boroughs: ⭐⭐⭐
