Shawarma Review: Sandrella, 1721 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON

I've been told by no less than three different people that this place produces the best damn shawarma in Ottawa, bar none. Since it's on my way home from my Friday after-work curling league (where my team is 9-0), I've been there three times over the last few months and I have to say that it's hit and miss (and the hit factor rises dramatically in proportion to the number of post-game beers I have).

Last night I went for the chicken after only having a pint and a half, and it was very disappointing. The lettuce wasn't a crisp, leafy green but was rather the same out-of-a-vacuum-bag stuff that is a staple around me and Mrs. H's sorry-ass kitchen, and the garlic sauce was sadly underwhelming. Also, in the eight minute timeframe it takes to get from the Sandrella parking lot to my house, the product lost a good 50% of its warmth despite being well-wrapped and transported in a paper bag.

The entire experience last night stood in stark contrast to the last time I was at Sandrella. The beef creation I enjoyed at that time, I would have ranked as one of the top 5 shawarmas I've ever had. Then again, I had about three and a half pints after curling that night.

All in all, it'll fill a hole, and even though you're taking your chances, Sandrella gets a half-decent rating because just like pizza and sex, even when it's shitty, a shawarma is still pretty good.

Overall rating: 6/10