Castle Shawarma: not just another shawarma joint
Founded six years ago by Hatem Ghader, Castle Shawarma at 178 Rideau St. was voted best shawarma restaurant in Ottawa last year and holds the 47th position on the list of best restaurants in Ottawa, beating out restaurants with food at double or triple the price—all without having more than a handful of seats.
Despite his rapid success, Ghader still manages to keep students in mind.
“I make sure to keep the prices down,” he says. “I think maybe 60 per cent, maybe more, of the business I have is students. And students don’t usually have so much money to spend; cheaper prices means more people can eat here.”
Ghader doesn’t skimp on the quality or the quantity of his food regardless of price. The shawarma, whether stuffed into wrap form ($7) or piled on a plate with rice, potatoes, and three kinds of garlic sauces (regular, spicy and oregano-flavoured, between $13–15) is easily the best in town.
The potatoes are spiced just right, the meat is always juicy, and the rice, especially a fresh batch, is light and fluffy.
“There is no secret,” Ghader says. “Fresh garlic for the sauce, fresh, local meat—okay, some things I keep secret.”
The garlic sauces in particular are a closely guarded secret, and Ghader is only willing to reveal that it has oregano, coriander, and two types of pepper.
If you’re not certain about what exactly to order, feel free to ask; the staff at Castle Shawarma is friendly and employees often joke and banter with regulars.
“Other restaurants, sometimes they are rude or unfriendly,” Ghader says. “I picked a good location, close to the university, and I like to try to remember people who come here. I think the service is as important as the food.”
Ghader hasn’t let his success go to his head; he continues to find things to improve.
“We have to continue to be better,” he says. “We have good reviews online, but [what is] most important to me is making my customers happy. And I want more people to be able to enjoy the food here.”
With its friendly staff and food as fantastic as it is cheap, you have every reason to find yourself enjoying Castle Shawarma in the near future.
