International chain opens first LI location
Centereach has become a magnet for international chain restaurants lately. Bonchon Korean fried chicken and Tous les Jours Korean bakery both opened in the past few months. Now comes German Doner Kebab to the mix.
The doner kebab is a unique dish that came about when Turkish communities emigrated to Berlin in the 1960s and '70s. They brought along their spinning rotisserie meats, and eventually the kebab morphed into a sandwich with fresh and crunchy salad toppings. Today, the doner kebab is one of the most popular latenight street foods in the capital, alongside currywurst.
Meanwhile in New York City, halal street food has taken hold, with several brands including Döner Haus and Berlin Döner competing for supremacy. German Doner Kebab is the largest of the bunch, based in the United Kingdom with more than 170 stores internationally. The brand differentiates itself by serving the doner kebabs in a thin layer of waffle bread, rather than the typical Turkish pide bread that the sandwich is known for.
Franchised by Talal Kirmani, German Doner Kebab in Centereach has a streamlined look. There's a window next to the counter where you can see workers shaving large spinning bulbs of chicken and beef. (Hot tip: Ask when you order if they'll shave the meat fresh off the spit for you.)
Inside German Doner Kebab in Centereach. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
You can get your doner in a sandwich with the waffle bread, or made into a wrap, thrown on a rice bowl, or stuffed into a doner box with crispy fries. If you want to try a few things, order a Boss Box for $22.99 that comes with fries, a drink and tasty fried spring rolls stuffed with doner meat.
The doner itself is packed with shredded purple cabbage, raw onions, lettuce and tomato as well as a mélange of garlic yogurt sauces. The shop doesn't have much in the way of hot sauce, so if you like spice you might want to load up on the jalapeños. For all its fast food associations, the meal ends up being lighter than you'd think, as the waffle bread is paper-thin with the shaved chicken and veggies.
Let's hope this genre catches on.
German Doner Kebab, 1759 Middle Country Rd., Centereach, 631-285-2923, gdkusa.com. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
