Today’s Special: Food from Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine, Ahmad Brothers Cafe and Ali’s House of Shawarma

On a pretty slow day of work, I used my time up going through the lists that people have made about good movies.  One movie I came across was Today’s Special.  I read the comments that people who watched the movie have written and alexisagile gave it a 5/5 rating, said it was excellent and great for foodies around the globe.  That did it for me.  Having finished watching it, I had a strong craving for Indian food …or something of that sort (flavorful, spiced, beautifully shaped and cooked grains in biryani, etc.)

The ever popular chicken masala. It didn’t disappoint. (“,) Just with the sauce, oh, my, yum!

Doing my research about where to get such dishes in the city, I found some blogs talking about Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine. (It was deleted, I think. Anyway. Thanks so much, Ms. Krish. (“,)) and Ahmad Brothers.

Cue Goldspot’s song, Ina Mina Dika (because I couldn’t find the head-bobbing, waist-shaking song that was played 36 minutes into the movie *heee) and let’s discuss the today’s special – Indian, Pakistani and also, Arabian food.

Ahmad Brothers Cafe

It was easier to find the Ahmad Brothers Cafe and so that’s one of the places Race and I went to on our binging day.

As part of my research, I also found out that chicken tikka masala is the most popular Indian dish.  Particularly in Britain, they also refer to this as the national dish; yup, not only the Indians but also the Brits love it. \m/  So I made it a point to get masala (see first photo =D).

Samosa with uber spicy cilantro (was it? or was it coriander *senior moment =b) (They mean the same thing) dip, crispy kangkong (fried with batter unlike Azotea Greens‘), tea, and lemonsoda – a strange drink…an acquired taste that i guess, i didnt really acquire =))

Masala for the vegetarians – garbanzo masala. *nomnomnom (“,)

Race at Ahmad’s 

Hope you don’t mind dining where people sometimes pass.  Ahmad’s is a small store with tables and chairs laid out in front of the store.  (Not to worry, it’s in the mall.)  Ahh, just eat their masala and it’s going to make up for everything. (“,)  Beth will testify to that, too. *hihi.  Ate, let’s go back for the garbanzo masala (that wasn’t available when we visited).

Food: 

Service: 

Ambiance: 

Price: 

Ahmad Brothers Cafe

4th floor Abanao Square

Abanao Street

Baguio City, Philippines

Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine

Shyeew, this was a difficult store to find.  Anyway, my first sampling of Amirah’s food was at the Baguio Flower Festival some years back.  I totally loved their shawarma sauce and when I couldn’t find their ‘real’ store, I was compelled to blend my own sauce (which was pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I used this on fish, not shawarma *heeee).

You guessed it, mine was drenched in sauce after this photo was taken. \m/

The menu, spicy grilled chicken, sambosa (cheese), aloosh sandwich and us. Aloosh sandwich is now my favorite wrap-y food…yes, still drenched with sauce. Weeee!

Note: My brother doesn’t really like Amirah’s shawarma.  It’s not the carved from layers of meat stuck on a spit shawarma.

Kofta kebab rice, sambosa (chicken), shawarma, aloosh sandwich, shawarma platter and my brother…see the yum going on his face? ^^,

Food:  

Service:   and my  for the attendant who took care of us in both visits.  She remembered just what we had the first time we were there and so was able to suggest other stuff to try (besides repeats of the aloosh sandwich and shawarma *hihi). Thank you so much!

Ambiance:  I read about this small establishment later (way after the Flower Festival) in a blog and so I learned where it was.  That didn’t help with finding it though.  Race and I went riding into the Camdas neighborhood when all along it was before the flyover (coming from Trancoville).  When we gave up looking for it, it magically popped in front of my eyes when we were stuck in a little traffic in the Trancoville road after the entrance going to Sanitary Camp.

Price: 

Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine

Manuel Roxas Street, Trancoville

(Keep your eyes peeled when you pass the road going to Sanitary Camp – Race said, it’s sort of a landmark that that part of the road has a deep hole *harhar. It’s in front of the hardware and aggregates store/yard.  Before the flyover.)

Baguio City, Philippines

Location of Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine, click to enlarge photo

Ali’s House of Shawarma

And so I already got my fill of Indian/Pakistani/Arabian dishes.  Just recently, however, my sister came home from a walk and she told me about a new Indian place that she discovered.  Race and I had lunch there yesterday and we had a good time.

Race before the Ali’s meal and during the Ali’s meal. =)

Ali’s menu – serving some Filipino dishes too. =) Giant samusa packed with potatoes (oh yeah, i love it).  Don’t let the faded chili sauce fool you, it’s mega spicy.  =b Giant shawarma – I know you can’t really see it in the photo but it’s got everything, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese. Ahhh, heaven!

Beef matala. Super tender meat, you can cut it with the papadum. So flavorful…I was compelled to order rice. (“,)

This was the rice they gave us. *harhar. All is well (no pun intended). It was interesting how the different cuts of the veggies gave the dish texture. \m/

Sir Ali was very friendly (chatty, too ^^,).  He told us to tell our friends about his store when we left.  Here’s me, telling you, my foodie friends.

Food: 

Service: 

Ambiance:  The owner’s friendly personality is pouring over to his staff.  =D

Price:  We got all that food plus bottles of soda, all for P227. Cheap right?  Ali’s qualifies as a great place for students to get some good grub.

Among these three establishments, Race’s choice for good Indian/Pakistani food is Ali’s.  Yiii-hiii! (“,)

Ali’s House of Shawarma

Bonifacio Street (in front – sort of – of SLU Waldo Gate)

Baguio City, Philippines

X marks Ahmads Brothers Cafe, Amirah’s Arabian Cuisine and Ali’s House of Shawarma (and then some *harhar) for good food in Baguio.

As Samir’s (main character in Today’s Special) mom said, ‘Man cannot live on Frosty Frosty.’  Make Indian food, Pakistani dishes, and Arabian cuisine the today’s special!