The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper
La Vivienda Grilled Shawarma in Zamboanga City (Food Review)
LA VIVIENDA Grilled Shawarma, owned by the 69-year old veteran cook Rudy Bravo, at San Jose Road in Zamboanga City is surely a place that I will visit very often after I tasted their delicious Shawurma or Shawarma – a Levantine Arab meat preparation similar to Taco where beef or chicken, or lamb or veal, are placed on a pointed rod for holding meat over a fire, or grilled on a pan.
The small road-side restaurant offers a wide variety of Arabic and Mexican Shawarma, and a fusion of Filipinostyle Shawarma, omelette, escalope, burgers and mouth-watering sauces from barbecue to curry and their super-flaming “volcanic” chili oil and the lesser hot, but still super spicy “dynamite” chili and garlic oil which will surely make you sweat because of its very hot, hot and hot, but deliciously superb taste made from a blend of chilies and other herbs and spices.
The five-year old La Vivienda – which literally means “home” or “dwelling” in Spanish – continues to draw and attract a steady influx of diners because of its good-tasting, clean and quality, delicious Shawarma at a very affordable prices ranging from P75 to P90.
The humble owner says the secret of his Shawarma house is the high quality of the meat he uses and of course, the cleanliness of his great tasting Sharwarma and his fresh dough grilled to perfection, and sauces that go along with it. The great service of the food attendants adds up to the assets of the La Vivienda.
I highly recommend La Vivienda Grilled Shawarma. Hurry, go and visit La Vivienda and don’t forget your handkerchief and get ready for that “dynamite” taste!