Sultan Shawarma, a tidy little Mediterranean food joint, is located on the east side of 4th Avenue between Market and Island in the Gaslamp Quarters section of downtown San Diego. It is a local favorite that usually escapes tourist attention (being flanked by whole blocks of bigger, flashier, and pricier restaurants helps).
It is owned and operated by a few Iraqis who really know how to roast meat. I should warn that they also have a more relaxed attitude about service than Americans would expect. If you need something, you have to ask for it instead of waiting for them to come and baby you.
The menu is made of shawarma and kabob (beef and chicken). The sandwiches go from $4.95 (falafel crushed garbanzo beans) to $6.95 (cheese steak sandwich). Add a dollar for French fries. The shawarma, of course, is shaved slow-roasted meat. I find the beef shawarma here tending to be on the dry side. They give you a lot of meat per sandwich, though. The kabob is juicier and chunky, and served with generous amount of fresh vegetables.
They are so tasty that there is no need for any sauce or condiment. Those unfamiliar with this type of food probably should order that the pickled turnips be placed ‘on the side’ rather than inside the sandwich…. I wasn’t expecting it when I first tried this restaurant and biting into that pungent and sour and PINK thing really nearly gagged me.
If you order the shawarma or the kabob plates ($7.95 individual beef or chicken or shish tawk (marinated chicken) to $12.95 for 3-way-combination), these come with hummus (mashed chickpeas that tastes and smells a lot nastier than it looks), rice, salad (with Italian dressing), and pita bread.
I regret that the pita isn’t home-made but is one of those pre-packaged thing you can get at the supermarket. This isn’t such a bad trade off considering that you’re having a good dinner in the Gaslamp Quarter for under $17! I’m afraid the beverage department is rather spartan. No alcohols, just soft drinks, various ades, coffee, & tea.
The facility is very small and wouldn’t accommodate large party (party larger than 8 need not apply!), though it is quite a good place to catch a quick bite with a few good friends. If you are in the area for lunch and enjoy people-watching, you can order ‘to go’ and walk a quarter of a city block south to dine in the tree covered courtyard of William Heath Davis House instead. There is just one unisex bathroom (large & handicap-friendly) in the back and is clean every time I’ve visited the place (at least 4 times now).
So, the next time you are in Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego and don’t feel like having a fish taco for lunch or dinner, stop by for some good kabob sandwiches at Sultan Shawarma on 4th between Market and Island. It’s a lot cheaper than the Spanish place next door, but is just as exotic.
Sultan Shawarma
543 4th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel (619) 231-1824
Fax (619) 231-1859
Open daily from 11AM – 3AM
