Shisha is a huge thing among the city's Arab expats, and their ubiquity in most of the Middle…read moreEastern restaurants in the city have led us youngsters to acquire the habit as well. I smoke heavily in college, and though I have long since quit and kicked the habit, I find that I still crave a cigarette every now and then. Though shisha doesn't really give me much of a boost, unlike nicotine, I find that it it is much better than actually lighting up a stick (though scientific studies suggest otherwise). At least it gives me something to do with my mouth when I'm not stuffing it with food or when i'm not talking my friends' ears off. Anyway, I find that the cheaper places to score a good load of hookah are the places that the Arabs frequent. They are often in the seedier areas of the backstreets of the red light districts, and true enough, one of those places is called Jerusalem, in Malate. I have also come here for the food, though I don't remember anything much standing out to me aside from the shakshuka, which is always a great favorite of mine. I have actually been here exactly three times, and one of those times was during a telecast of a World Cup game. They have a TV that is usually turned to some Arabic language newscast, but during the games, they would air and replay the games for everyone to see.

My family took us here to try the food. We got seated right away. The atmosphere was nice. The…read moreservice was very good. The food were delicious, sorry i did not get a chance to take pictures. They have parking spots but very tricky to get in and out. Will definitely come back.

Hossein's interior is gorgeous as well as apt for its motif, all dimly lit curtains tinged with a…read morewarm, sun-baked palette. I learned about Hossein through my best friend, who loved their food so much that she couldn't stand up after clearing her plates. Neither could I, and that's a good sign. First things first: one does not simply enter Hossein without trying their Roti Channai (P125). Served with a mild sauce mixed with Indian spices, the roti is soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. As for mains, I strongly recommend their Lamb Shish Kebab (P550) and their Raan Masala (P2780), the latter of which is leg of lamb cooked in a creamy and thick curry sauce, mixed with special herbs and spices. In my opinion, the Raan Masala is definitely the star of the menu. Even the sauce of the masala goes really well with the kebab. So much so that I ended up dipping my kebab in the sauce of the masala instead of the actual sauce of the kebab. All of this doesn't come with rice yet, so you'll definitely want to order a heaping of buttery-hot Biryani Rice (P180), good for two people. I used to have a "don't love it, don't hate it" attitude toward Persian cuisine, but because of Hossein, I am now stuck in the "will eat everything until I puke" phase. Easily the best (and priciest) Persian restaurant I've tried in Metro Manila.

The Good: Authentic Arabian food! As good as it gets in Manila…read more The Bad: It's traffic getting to the place and the ambiance isn't the best. Pro Tip: The biryani rice is a sleeper hit! As stated above, this is probably the best Arabian food place in manila. You know an Arabian place is good when Arabians go there to eat! Whenever I'm in the general area, i take the time to do a side-trip to this place! Always awesome, and never disappoints! The place may be abit old and dirty, but I think it's all part of the charm! Try the kebabs, sharwama and my personal favorite: the biryani rice!

Our favorite place for Shawarma (Middle Eastern dish). Place was upgraded and they now have a "fast…read morefood branch" nearby. Skip their "Shawarma Meals" fries included was very disappointing!

Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Persian, Indian food... all of these cuisines have become a…read morespecialty to one name serving up magical dishes since 1985: Hossein. I've had the pleasure of meeting Chef Hossein when he opened his branch in Serendra and he's always had this passion to share his food. His restaurants are incomparable to your usual kebab stops as he takes the flavors of tradition further and bring forward authentic cuisines. I especially like eating in Gilak not just because it is in my neighborhood but also because they do their dishes so well. Hummus is not a pre-mix but home made among other delights such as their moutabal and samosas. For a great overall experience, go for the sampler appetizers where you will get to try their best sellers. I always order as well their Mix Kebab samplers to get a good taste of the well-marinated juicy grilled beef and chicken. Carb up and pair your dishes with the delightful Kabsa or Macluba rice dishes; Wash it all down with my favorite sweet lassi or a traditional mint tea. Overall, I always have a good experience with service and the food's consistency. The ambiance takes you to the middle east with interiors and architecture reminiscent of old world charms. A great place for a special lunch or dinner!

A few of my cousins, friends and myself were on the hunt for Middle Eastern food and fun. We spent…read moreabout an hour driving around looking to land on a winning place, then we finally landed on this establishment called SSC (shawarma Snack Center)Parking was kinda limited since rememember, it's in the Philippines. Ground floor had a shopping complex and some small restaurants, then we walked up a flight of stairs coming to find out 2nd floor was a huge gamimg LAN center. Didn't expect how big this place was until I reached the top 3rd floor. It was an outdoor area and indoor in the middle where there you could dine and eat food, play board games or watch sports and movies on a big flat screen TV. Then theres an outdoor section where you can smoke your sheesha and have coversations with a group. They had a few authentic selections of middle eastern and asian foods like shawarmas, Biryani, hummus , mogoul and fruit smoothies and shakes. Food I can rate 7/10, service 8/10, setting 8/10. All in all experience was comfortable and I'd definitely come back to have another chill funday Sunday.

I love this place. I've been coming here for years and it has been consistently delicious…read moreall-throughout. The prices are very affordable, the servings are never disappointing and the service is so quick you don't have to wait too long to get your order. Sometimes what I do is call them when I'm on my way home from work and pick-up my order right when I reach BF. I always come here for their beef shawarma, chicken biryani and hummus. The hummus is a personal favorite of mine. The ingredients are blended so well with just the right amount of flavors, that I always get a second batch of pita bread without fail. Shawarma Snack Center has a nice rustic ambience to it too. It's simple and comes with outdated interiors that will make you believe that it's 1993 and you're dining in a tiny village in the Middle East. Definitely a gem in the south!

Reasonably priced and really good Persian food! :D…read more My usual orders are Ox Brain, Hummus, and Beef Kebab. Oddly, they are more expensive than the branch in Timog. Must be the rent in Metrowalk. Either way, the food is good, service is good, and value for your money is great!

This restaurant has been around for quite some time now- Family's usual midnight food-go-to place!…read moreWe go here like 2-3 times a month, I used to be very picky with food, but I finally learned to appreciate the food here! The menu has a wide selection to choose from -- shawarma, kebabs, hummus, and many more. I recommend getting the Chelo beef kebab kobideh, for P275 (add P30 for basmati rice!) -- definitely a must-try- or the Mahksos. Most of their dishes served with rice is good for sharing, however, when really hungry, it could be just for one. Pair it with Dogh (yogurt shake), and you're good to go! We keep coming back here all the time for our midnight cravings!

Mister Kebab has been holding the fort when it comes to delicious Persian cooking since the last…read moredecade. I remember piling up someone's car and driving all the way to West Ave to get our hands on some of their yummy kebabs. More than a decade has past, but Mister Kebab is still as strong as ever. It was just a bit too far for a Makati resident like me to go there on a regular basis. That is why I was so happy when Mister Kebab set up shop at Pearl Drive at Ortigas. It's not Makati, but it's a whole lot closer to those of us who live there. Or Pasay. Or the South, for that matter. ANYWAY, still the same incredibly delicious food, still the same reasonable prices, still kicking the ass of their competition, and all this located somewhere closer to non-QC residents. Nice.

Finally a branch that is closer to home, at least for me. I remember when Mister Kebab only had one…read morebranch it was all the way in West Ave, QC. I was nothing short of happy when a branch opened along Pearl Drive, Ortigas. Mister Kebab is one of the best Persian restaurants in the metro within the more affordable spectrum. I have always been a fan of this kind of cuisine and is actually something I would crave for from time to time. Whenever I'm here, I would always order their Special Chelo Kebab and smother it with the typical special sauces they have. And of course, my meal wouldn't be complete without a yogurt shake! This is absolutely one of my favorites, especially the one they serve here. Their servings are generous and in terms of taste, I would recon it's close to the authentic and none of those "filipinized" to make it more akin to the Filipino taste. When I happen to be within the area, I would definitely dine here again!

I'd passed this place without giving it a second thought. It looked like just another shawarma…read morespot. There were five million other shawarma spots and this place looked pretty small. Man, was I wrong. This wasn't just a shawarma place. It was a legit grill place. Shawarma, kebabs, chicken fillets, dapas... you name it. Impressive. And for a price that didn't go over 100php for most items. Even more impressive. What stunned me though was how much bigger it was on the inside. It added a lot to the ambiance of the place. There was lots of room and lots of seats, giving it a rather cozy feel. The food itself is pretty good! Not dry, tasty and that's without drenching it in sauce as is my usual modus when it comes to these wraps. Despite the price, it wasn't at all small and they didn't skimp on the fillings which is something that doesn't happen very often. So if you're looking for something light and filling but won't kill your wallet or make you feel like you didn't eat enough, this is where I'd suggest to go.

At first I was a little frustrated because Mandi Persian Grill replaced this cool café on that same…read moreplace. It was the only one with turtle pie then. It took me some time to warm up to it but my love for hummus has overcome this tampo, so I decided to try it out. Needless to say, it was on a whole different scale than the café it replaced, but I still like it because of my love for Middle Eastern food. PROS: You'd be surprised how roomy it actually is. On the ground level it would just be around 4 tables and you have to scoot to get to the counter and place your order. But downstairs, it's comfortably spacious; I love samplers! So of course I had their Mandip Trio. It was so fun to eat because I got to try the Moutabal and Keema too, which is quite good; I liked reading this little story on their menu on how Mandi got their name. CONS: Orders take a bit of time to prepare; We could use for more pita for the Trio. TL;DR: Authentic Persian food that's not just some random shawarma place. More Mandi!