My friends sent me emails crying (ok, I’m joking) because Chicken shawerma isn’t allowed to be sold anywhere in town, and many shawarma places are having a hard time, I have some options for you shawerma freaks:
- Try Sojouk shawerma from Shawerma Dar (Abdoun, right next to Zee Diner). their Sojouk is safe and the taste is awesome (Sojouk or Sosis -turkish- is Arabic sausage).
- Try meat shawerma, Bashka (Sweifieh, Wakalat Street) is a good option.
- Go to Syria or Lebanon and eat from the shittiest places ever and you will not get poisoned.
- Go on a diet.
Jordan Times reported: Shawerma outlets say ‘collective’ punishment unjustified
Restaurants with clean track records on Monday criticised the government’s ban on the sale of chicken shawerma, describing the measure as unjust and damaging to their business.
The ban was imposed on Sunday following an outbreak of salmonellosis in the Baqaa refugee camp. Several shawerma outlets in the capital who say they have been abiding by Health Ministry regulations on food safety and hygiene standards said the move was overly harsh.
“Why should we be dragged into this food poisoning crisis?” asked a frustrated owner of a popular shawerma restaurant in Amman.
“We’ve never had a problem with Health Ministry inspectors before and we work very hard to make sure we don’t,” he added.
The eatery, which has six branches and operates a delivery service, sells around 16,000 meals a day. The shop owner told The Jordan Times nearly 75 per cent of these meals contain chicken.
According to Raed Hamadah, president of the Association of Restaurant and Sweets Shop Owners, some 6,000 employees working in more than 600 shawerma restaurants across the country will be affected by the closure. Although the association agrees with the procedures taken by the government to tackle food poisoning, Hamadah said it was surprised that all restaurants were included in the ban.
“The government did not coordinate with the association when they took the decision and we intend to meet the minister to explain how much damage it will have on the sector,” Hamadah told The Jordan Times on Monday.
A restaurant manager in Zarqa said it was unfair to include those who are committed to safety regulations with irresponsible restaurants, pointing out that he has to pay more than JD1,500 monthly to his five employees. Sitting at the cash register near an empty skewer in his shawerma outlet in Ras Al Ain, Ahmad was equally disgruntled at the decision. In the business for nearly five years, Ahmad said the “collective” punishment was undeserved.
“Many shawerma restaurants have shaped up and made the necessary changes since the ministry introduced new measures earlier this year,” he told The Jordan Times.
“We personally have improved our storage and refrigeration areas and no longer sell locally made mayonnaise,” he said, adding that they received a clean bill of health from the inspector’s last visit.
Some customers who frequent shawerma outlets, however, welcomed the decision as a much needed wake-up call to improve the working conditions of substandard eateries.
“I’m glad the government took a hard line,” said Oraib Salameh, who often buys chicken shawerma from an outlet near her home in Ras Al Ain.
“A lot of shawerma shops are operating well below the required hygienic standards and I haven’t seen much of that change,” she added.
The mother of two said businesses shouldered a responsibility to the public. A sales assistant in a Gardens Street supermarket, who worked in two shawerma outlets several years ago, also welcomed the ban.
“It was a wise move… shawerma eateries must begin to take food safety issues seriously,” he told The Jordan Times.
Following an outbreak of food poisoning in Madaba that affected 243 people earlier this year, health authorities said they were beefing up controls over food establishments. The measures included enhancing awareness on food hygiene, safety regulations, and operating standards and procedures for food preparation and consumption.
any complaints? suggestions? compliments? feel free to
Browse Timeline
Comments ( 4 )
Sojouk shawerma from Shawerma Dar !!!! yes3edak rubby sho fahman, jud its the best shawerma in town.
thx for the share man
amjad mahfouz added these pithy words on
Aug 14 07 at
5:45 pm
Damn dude, $1,500 JD per month for 5 employees avgerages 300JD/month each…are those the prevailing wages for restaurant workers and more importantly is he hiring?
Luai added these pithy words on
Aug 14 07 at
10:55 pm
Nelson added these pithy words on 