I wish you
would step back from that ledge
my friend
You could
cut ties
with all the lies
that you've been living in
Another Tuesday... another Taste. Safe to say we're in a bizarre era of this now-kinda-weekly review show, as this week's review in particular was so unplanned it feels almost dishonest to give it the usual song and dance. I'm almost definitely overthinking this... can you tell 2026 so far has just been a blizzard onto my mental health and social skills? No worries I can speak even quieter.
So unfortunately Alpha Shawarma gets the writeup where I'm losing plenty of marbles (always in the last place you look) which is... sort of unfair to Alpha? Lets jump right into how and why I'm doing this one. First off, it was recommended/suggested to me back in the summer by a close friend (and occasional pizza trying companion) who lives very close to a location. Secondly, I happened to be making an (especially rare for 2026) social appearance downtown (I organized the thing so... bailing last second would be extra bad) and was on my way home, waiting for a streetcar at Queen and Bathurst at midnight and feeling some hunger. Soon upon realizing said streetcar would still be another fifteen minutes and it was a delightful -22 outside (oC) my thinking quickly became: even if they can't make my food in time to catch that Toronto trolley (spoilers they couldn't... there was a line) at least I'm not outside standing in the soul sucking freeze of a dry winter night. I've probably said this before but next time I see somebody wishing and lamenting for snowy January winter in the middle of July deserves a snowball thrown directly into their eyes (yeah I'm doing swell right now thanks).
Backstory time! Well, both the internet and Alpha's own "About Us" page are quite vague on the specifics... so what I can sort of interpret with probable truth is that Alpha's Shawarma is a venture of a Syrian family with significant prior chef/cooking experience that came to Canada in 2018... and by 2022 they'd opened up their first location of Alpha's (the very one I went to at Queen and Bathurst). They've done well since, having branched out to four locations all in the central core of downtown Toronto. If any of this is actually untrue I apologize... I never claim to be an actual food journalist I'm just a lonely oddball who finds the written word easier and more comfortable to express than proper social engagement, plus properly researching things in depth was never my favourite thing to do in my university days so you can imagine how much I enjoy it currently.
Enough of my bullshit (the usual stuff and this miserable life-bemoaning kind) lets actually dig into this. Thanks for hanging in if you're still here. So the thing is: I actually don't get shawarmas all that often anymore... which is a minor shame because Delina here in the Beaches is absolutely fantastic yet I've only been a couple times in my decade-plus of living down here.
Back in my 20s when I'd be in the Annex a lot, lots of late nights downing pints with now lost friends... different story. Shawarma is excellent drunk food and Ghazale on Bloor being open late and usually on the way home... good memories. So back then, I potentially knew more about what I was talking about when it comes to this. Nevertheless, it wasn't that long ago and I still remember what I like (no white onions!) thus I was indeed curious if this particular shawarma wrap would differentiate itself from the ones I frequented in my memory.
I did note the preparation at Alpha's is a little different than the ones I remember... most notably how they press the completed wrap onto a sizzling flat grill, giving both sides a distinctly crispy touch.
I do recall other shawarma places using something akin to a panini press to briefly "toast" the shawarma but that was often when the wrap was already, um, wrapped in foil (thus lessening the heat and toasting effect). This was the first time I think I've seen a place just full on put the wrap directly on a heated surface and squish it slightly for maximum fried coverage.
It's definitely a slender chicken shawarma and quite a wet saucy one (there was significant dripping even through the bottom of the foil wrapping). It has your typical shawarma fixings: turnips, tomato, hummus, garlicky toum (truly the good stuff) and also a second distinctive thing I don't recall other shawarma places featuring... a balsamic-like drizzle that really cuts through those other creamier flavours to add another, almost malty dimension.
While perhaps not mind-blowing, this was indeed a tasty shawarma that hit all the right notes (especially after a few pints of wheat beer). The chicken has the right amount of oily greasiness and isn't too heavily seasoned, the crispiness throughout the wrap really is a fine touch, while the spice is entirely manageable. What it might lack in girth it makes up for in length as well... a sentence that surely cannot be taken out of context. Nope. *Cough*
Overall! I can confidently say that Alpha's is an above average shawarma and so would indeed recommend giving them a try. I can't speak for the other items (in retrospect I probably should've at least gotten some fries or something) but the spit roasted chicken here is indeed pretty solid, while those additional touches (balsamic-like sauce, crispy wrap) really bring the typical shawarma elements up a notch. Good stuff.
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This Week In Star Trek
I've only somewhat recently gotten more into DS9 (for the longest time it was a little too 'space soap opera' for my tastes) and one of my favourite aspects of the show has to be these two characters and their beyond-exceptional chemistry together. The way the late great Rene Auberjonois delivers these lines is just a true chef's kiss of subtle performance.
Tuesday Tune
yup.
That's it for this week. Hopefully I'm in better spirits next time around (I hate winter... there's just nothing to do and seeing people is so much harder) but regardless, stay safe, stay warm, fuck off fascists and most of all.... don't spill that mustard.
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