Travelling can be exciting and adventurous but it can also be challenging at times. Especially when it comes to eating.
If you have special dietary requirements like vegan, vegetarian, kosher or halaal, you have to do some research before-hand to ensure that you familiarise yourself with at least 2 to 3 restaurants in the city you will be visiting.
As a Muslim, my first choice is always to eat strictly halaal food. Coming from a country where we have a reliable and trustworthy Halaal Trust, we are spoilt for choice to eat at restaurants that cater for our needs.
When travelling, I’m not always sure where I will find a good restaurant serving halaal food. Breakfast is normally easy, because one can get away with cereal, breads and preservatives with a good helping of fruit and yoghurt. Lunch time though, one tends to want to eat something a bit more substantial and filling.
On our trip to Spain, finding a halaal restaurant in Madrid city centre wasn’t easy, so we opted to eat fish or seafood meals for lunch. Closer to the outskirts of Madrid we found a Pakistani restaurant serving authentic curries and naan roti’s. It was a perfect eat out restaurant for the one night we stayed over in the capital.
In the South of Spain, where the Muslim influence is more prevalent, we were fortunate to find some good halaal restaurants.
Both Cordoba and Granada have enough options to choose from. In this blog I’ll tell you about the two restaurants we visited in Granada.
Swarma King (Falafel & Kebaap)
The restaurant is Turkish and is fully halaal. Their signature dish is obviously falafels but they basically make any and all take-away and sit down type meals. It is located close to the Plaza Nuevo (New Plaza which is actually the oldest square in Granada ) so you will not miss it if you are walking in or around this area.
We opted for the chicken and chips meal which was quite a substantial portion. Had we known that the portions would be as big, we probably would have opted for one portion to share instead of the two.
If spicy and tasty Mediterranean Cajun style chicken is your favorite then this restaurant will not disappoint. The cost is reasonable for the portion sizes. I think we paid 5.50 euros per meal which included a soda. For the same price you could also get a Pita filled with falafel, chips and salad and a coke.
They also sell burgers and chips, paella dishes, vegetable food with basmati rice and a variety of other dishes ranging from about 3 Euros to 10 euros.
Shawarma King is a good place to have lunch. It has a casual café style setting. If you are looking for a bit more fancy, then I suggest you cross the road to it’s sister restaurant called ElTaj Halal Shawarma King
ElTaj Halal Shawarma King
As you enter this restaurant you are mesmerised by the beautiful wooden carved Morroccan style entrance complete with colourfully covered ottomans on either side. The decor is warm and cosy and the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly.
The owners, who are Syrian, have opted to create a Arabian experience in the middle of this busy street . You are transported to a time and place across the oceans in Africa. A trip from Granada to Morrocco will take you less than half a day by ferry and train.
Granada has retained much of it’s Moorish style in architecture, decor and eating establishments.
The ElTaj Shawarma King has two levels. downstairs are fitted with plenty of wooden chairs and tables. As you make your way upstairs you will find on one side the restaurant a makeshift Bedouin Morrocan style tent area where you can enjoy some desserts and hookah, if that’s your fancy.
On the other side of the restaurant, there are the most beautifully carved wooden chairs and tables with bay style windows looking out into the street below.
The walls are lined with the most intriguing and eye-catching paintings of Moorish ladies draped in headscarves.
or serving the tea traditional Arab style.
We opted to sit upstairs and enjoy this Arabian experience while having our meal. The menu is vast and flavourful. Catering to your every need, whether it be a light quick meal of kebaab or wraps or whether it be a hearty warm curry.
Prices are reasonable considering that it’s a sit down restaurant. We were tempted to try some of their desserts but decided against it because once again the meal size was substantial and filling.
I would recommend both of these restaurants when travelling to Granada, especially if you looking for tasty halaal food.
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