Express Shish Kabab, a fast casual-style Middle Eastern takeout restaurant, opened last week at 2673 Haddonfield Road in Pennsauken.
Located next to Mama’s Meatballs, it specializes in Middle Eastern fare such as fire-grilled beef and chicken kababs and shawarma-style beef and chicken platters that come complete with rice and a slightly spicy red sauce. There’s also a couple of fish options (salmon and branzino) and a vegetarian option (falafel) available as a platter.
Traditional pita wrap shawarma-style sandwiches with a choice of protein and fillings such as french fries are offered next to the untraditional cheesesteak, chicken cheesesteak, and burger wraps. Familiar sides such as Greek salad, cucumber salad, potato salad, and hummus, and desserts such as Baklava and coconut cake round out the menu.
We tried a few items: Grilled Steak Kabab with rice and red sauce ($9.99), Grilled Chicken with rice and red sauce ($9.99), side of fries ($3), side of hummus ($3), cucumber salad ($2), and two desserts–Baklava and Coconut Cake–($2 each).
The platters were generous featuring several chunks of grilled meat with sauce on top, fried potatoes, and lots of rice. While there was good charring on the meat and great grilled flavor, the red sauce with just a hint of spiciness didn’t add as much flavor as I was hoping for. In fact, on both platters, we remarked that we would have liked a bit more sauce as it came off a bit dry. Fortunately, a couple of dollops of hummus and cucumber salad added much-needed moisture, brightness, and acidity to my dish.
As for the desserts, the coconut cake was quite good full of coconut flavor and perfectly moist. The Baklava wasn’t the absolute best I’ve ever had, it needed more syrup in my opinion, but it sated my craving for it.
Express Shish Kebab is a welcome addition to the food scene in Pennsauken. It’s good for a quick, filling meal or whenever the craving for Middle Eastern food hits. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area. I know I will go back to try some other things.
Delivery is available through Door Dash and Grubhub, but be prepared to pay a little more because that’s how those services work.
Hours are 11AM to 8PM daily.
2673 Haddonfield Rd
Pennsauken, NJ 08110
(856) 500-1300
Marilyn is a freelance writer covering the food and drink scene of South Jersey. You can find more of her writing on Philly Grub and NewsBreak.