The title says it all! I’ve tried many shawarma rice dishes, and Tipple & Slaw Katipunan by far is the best one I’ve had in Manila, maybe even in the Philippines! Shawarma Rice is close to my heart because back in college, stalls would set up during special events, and my friends and I would usually enjoy shawarma rice, with cold bottled iced tea on the side.
Tipple & Slaw Katipunan Shawarma Rice Review
Bring me to any Middle-Eastern restaurant and the first thing I’d look for in the menu is the shawarma. I’m happy that some Filipino restaurants have also started offering Pinoy style shawarma rice too, where they use beef tapa for the meat.
Tipple & Slaw Katipunan is not a Middle-Eastern restaurant per se, instead their menu is composed of a variety of dishes – they have pasta, curry, pizza, pies, burgers, essentially everything that could be your comfort food. I haven’t physically visited their branch at The Pop Up in Katipunan, but I have been regularly ordering their Shawarma Rice online.
Tipple & Slaw Katipunan’s Shawarma Rice comes in three sizes: Meal for 1 (Php 280), Double (Php 550, good for 2-3 pax), and Tray (Php 1,300, good for 5-6pax). At first I thought it’s pretty pricey when compared to those that you can get from shawarma stalls, but when I received my order, I realized that it’s actually great value for money! The Meal for 1 size could easily be shared by two people, and it has a generous serving of rice and beef. I guarantee you’ll never feel bitin!
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The rice in itself is flavorful, having what I can only describe as an earthy, maybe slightly pungent taste. Now I don’t know the recipe but I’m guessing that turmeric is what gives the dish its flavor and yellow color, unlike some local shawarma stalls I know that simply use margarine to make the rice yellow. I also noticed that aside from the usual cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, Tipple & Slaw Katipunan’s Shawarma Rice also has what I think are pink pickled radishes, adding a layer of sweet and sour to every bite!
The sauces are also just as flavorful as I wanted them to be. The hot sauce is mildly spicy, just enough for you to whiff the heat of the chill. The garlic sauce though is my favorite. I love it so much that I wish they’d give me double the amount every time I order.
I haven’t tried any of the other dishes of Tipple & Slaw, because I’ve been mostly ordering their Shawarma Rice online and have it delivered to my home. But front the looks of it their other specialty dishes in the menu look pretty tempting too! When this pandemic ends, I’ll definitely give their Steak Rice a shot!
