I've had a good time watching Qariah come into its own as a lower Greenvile Avenue restaurant over the past two months. When I first dropped in, my service was polite, but terribly inept. Over my visits for this week's review, it slowly got better. The bread became more consistent, and the dining room slowly started to fill with more customers on each visit.
When you walk in the front door take notice of the tiny shawarma cones spinning behind the counter. They're made by hand from meat that's marinated overnight and they're significantly better than the processed ones you'll find at most Middle Eastern restaurants. The kebabs turning on the grill are even better.
The bread for the shawarma sandwiches isn't baked at the restaurant, like the pita loaves that come in baskets to every table, but it's still fresh and pliable. My only gripe is that you can't get a sandwich at lunch time. They only serve the buffet during the day.
Thankfully it's a great buffet filled with hummus, tabbouleh, kebab from the grill, a number of stews, and all the bread you can eat. You may not be able to order a shawarma sandwich during the day, but they can't stop you from making your own.
