Hailing from the closest thing to the Middle East outside the Middle East (Michigan) I often crave me some schwarma. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh wasn’t satisfying this craving until I heard about Salem’s Market & Grill in the Strip District. The restaurant is set up kind of like a cafeteria, but with the addition of spinning spools of meat. There was Indian food as well, but I was at Salem’s for one thing only.

I ordered some Chicken Shawarma (since that’s how they spell it) and asked what it came with aside from the chicken and garlic sauce. The guy listed a veritable salad’s worth of vegetables and I asked to have them all removed. He happily complied by writing “No Veggies” on my ordered sheet and I watched as he put together a fully-loaded pita of chicken and sauce. I also snagged a side of hummus.

The results were just as I had hoped. The garlic sauce was delicious and the chunks of spooled chicken were deliciously seasoned. I wouldn’t have minded more garlic sauce, but that happens pretty much always. Plus, the fresh hummus was a nice touch after months of store brands. And, it was damn cheap. My sandwich was only $6.50 and could have been plenty filling for a meal if I weren’t trying to taste a little more.

Salem’s definitely lived up to its billing and I now know where I can go to get my Middle Eastern fix when the craving comes.