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Ramadan in UAE: Where can you find kebabs for as little as Dh2.50?

Scores of residents looking to break their fasts flock to these popular eateries in the country, with queue of cars parked and waiting to be served the popular delicacies

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SM Ayaz Zakir

Published: Wed 5 Apr 2023, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 5 Apr 2023, 3:43 PM

Going for a drive and chatting over a karak is a routine passionately followed by many fasting Muslims following Taraweeh prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. Cheat on your daily routine, and check out these excellent eateries in Sharjah for your kebab fix, treating your taste buds to authentic Irani kebabs. At just Dh2.50 for a chicken skewer and Dh3 for a mutton one, these joints are sure to be worth it.

One of Sharjah's most famous kebab joints is Calimeroo Café, located right opposite the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Halwan Suburb. Soon after the maghrib prayers, one can witness a queue of cars parked and waiting to be served the popular chicken or mutton-roasted delicacies.

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Established in the late 1970s, the taste of the kebabs has remained constant, and what brings customers back is the "authenticity of the taste,” said the chef who has been working there for a few decades.

Instead of dining in, customers wait outside in their parked cars to savour the roasted meal. However, the dine-in area is ideal for a group of bachelors. If you are planning to visit with your kids and family, it is advisable to eat in your car.

Before you order their speciality, a plate of fresh salad is offered while you wait for the juicy kebabs skewers. Freshly baked taftoon (traditional Irani tortilla) will be prepared next while you munch on the veggies.

“We have some [customers] coming here every day; it has become part of their daily routine,” said the chef.

Abdullah, one of the many Emiratis gathered at the eatery, said he drops by every day, and has been coming for the last 30 years. “I [can't] fall asleep if I don’t come here. At times I don’t even eat the kebabs here; I park my vehicle for 10 minutes, sip some Gahwah, and leave,” said Abdullah.

“Neary 35 years ago, I travelled to London [where I had] authentic Irani kebabs. I searched for five years but couldn’t [find] that taste. While commuting back from work [one day], I saw this shop, and since then, I have come here every day, as it is between my workplace and home,” he said.

Serving for the last 40 years

If you see a plume of thick smoke coming out of a shop from afar, that is the place that you have to try next – Abdul Noor Abdul Rahman Bakery in Al Riqa Suburb, Al Sabkha, Sharjah is a must-visit eatery. The joint has no extensive dining, but offers customers enormous amounts of parking space.

The grill is lined with 100 skewers at a time, and sells thousands of sticks daily. “During Ramadan, we order more meat,” said Abdul Aziz, manager at the joint.

“We have a small dining area, but people mostly prefer to take [food] away. Boys coming here to eat prefer to [do so] in the car or on our outdoor benches. On average, a group of four orders 25 skewers,” said the manager.

The kebabs can be eaten in three ways, said Aftab Hassan, a regular guest. “We can [eat] the whole piece, wrap the meat in small pieces of taftoon, or make a kebab roll with the meat, [using] veggies and yogurt as the ingredients,” said Hassan.

This eatery is open until 3am, and several guests arrive late, just in time for suhoor, Abdul Aziz added.

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SM Ayaz Zakir

Published: Wed 5 Apr 2023, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 5 Apr 2023, 3:43 PM

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