Into an ever-expanding sea of quick-serve halal spots comes Shawarma Bay, the offshoot of a popular NYC truck. It’s opened in a former strip-mall deli about a block west of Tanger Outlets in Deer Park.
The wraps, platters and bowls are based on doner kebab (shaved, vertically roasted chicken or beef) and chapli kebab (spiced, minced patties of chicken or beef). The first is one of the glories of the Turkish kitchen, the second, a standard of both Pakistani and Afghan cuisine. Shahzeb Qureshi, a native of Mumbai, India, said that it was the brevity and focus of the menu that attracted him to the franchise opportunity.
A chicken shawarma wrap in progress at Shawarma Bay in Deer Park. Credit: Newsday/Erica Marcus
I was struck by the quality of ingredients: Wraps don’t use oily pita, but paper-thin flatbread that bears little blisters of char. The lettuce is a chiffonade of romaine, diced tomatoes are ripe, onions are finely sliced. Watching Qureshi construct a wrap is a study in precision and care. All sauces — from classic Afghan “white” to “red hot” to “SB’s sweet & sour” are homemade.
Most wraps are $11, bowls and platters (with basmati rice, fries and salad) are $11 to $13. The menu also offers loaded fries, falafel, hummus and traditional gyro (chicken or lamb).
Shawarma Bay, 786 Grand Blvd., Deer Park, 631-274-5314, Instagram: @shawarmabaydeerpark. Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
Erica Marcus, a passionate but skeptical omnivore, has been reporting and opining on the Long Island food scene since 1998.