Taco Shawarma is your new favorite fusion

After not having it for many months, I’ve really been into Middle Eastern food lately. There are so many great options in Lansing, but there’s only one that combines Middle Eastern with another of my favorite cuisines: Mexican.

Taco Shawarma offers Mexican classics like nachos, burritos and tacos filled with Middle Eastern staples such as kafta, falafel and, of course, shawarma. If you’re more of a purist, you can also get a straight-up Mexican-style burrito, birria tacos or a chicken shawarma plate with rice and a side of hummus. 

I knew I had to get the eponymous tacos, but deciding between fillings was a challenge. Think of the à la carte menu at a Middle Eastern restaurant, and then imagine almost all of those options in taco form. Being in a carnivorous mood, I ended up selecting the chicken shawarma, beef shawarma and the lamb kabob, as well as a fattoush salad to balance things out. 

The salad was excellent, with fresh veggies, crispy pita chips and a bright and herbaceous red wine vinegar dressing. The tacos, though, were incredible. First of all, I’ve never had tacos delivered to me in such pristine condition. I’m glad I always tip drivers well, but credit also goes to the kitchen staff because the presentation was lovely. Each taco was topped with red onions, fresh parsley, a tomato wedge, pickled turnips, a dusting of paprika and a drizzle of tahini. The chicken shawarma taco also appeared to have a slaw on it that I’d seen as a side option. This was some very thoughtfully prepared food.

It’s difficult to choose a favorite of the three, as each was excellent. The corn tortillas were delicate and thin but hardy enough that they didn’t fall apart when picked up. The meat was tender, moist and seasoned deliciously — even the lamb kabob, which can often be dry or tough. Tacos or not, this was some of the best shawarma and kabob I’ve had. Because of the extra texture the crunchy cabbage imparted, though, I think I liked the chicken shawarma the best.

There are so many other things I want to try on the extensive menu, including something called garlicado (garlic sauce and guacamole?), the birria nachos and the cauliflower and eggplant tacos. And there’s nothing like knowing you can get a fresh green salad on the side to feel better about housing three tacos.