Local Business Spotlight: Mr. Shawarma
Located at 725 W 21st St Norfolk, VA 23517. Photo taken by J. David H on Yelp.
During my initial visit to Mr. Shawarma in 2015, I was blown away. For those of you who don’t know, shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit.
Like many people, once they opened up in the Ghent area of Norfolk, I was very excited to try them. Especially after the infamous post-credits scene of “The Avengers” movie in 2012 where all the superheroes can be seen enjoying shawarma after Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr.) suggested they try some. After all, I wasn’t the only one who was inspired by the movie to try them. There were several reports that state that shawarma sales went through the roof after The Avenger’s movie premiered in theaters.
The food was amazing, and everybody was so friendly and helpful, especially the owner Avishai Eli (who goes by Avi.) Over the years, I’ve built a dope working relationship with Avi, so I was much obliged when he agreed to sit down and do an interview with me.
Sonicjeb Eats: Tell me about yourself: What are some fun facts about yourself that you’d like to share?
Avi Eli - I’m 36 years old and single. I consider myself athletic. I love running and I love to play soccer and tennis. I grew up in Israel, but I came to the United States when I was 20 to study business and marketing. I worked in marketing for a little bit before I got started in the restaurant business. I just recently moved back to Israel a year ago.
My mom used to have a shawarma shop also named Mr. Shawarma in Israel, which has since sold. Speaking of which, the falafel that we sell here is my dad’s recipe that he originated over 40 years ago in Tel Aviv where he had a small falafel shack. Because my parents put so much hard work into everything they did, I genuinely believe in selling top-quality food, because I’m addicted to quality things. I’m very particular about everything I do, and everything I buy, wear, eat, and cook with has to be the best or nothing. That especially goes for any food that is sold at Mr. Shawarma.
I’m also a family-oriented person, I love being around my family. They're my best friends. Besides that, I’m a sucker for electronics. I love Apple products. I always like to buy the latest and greatest when it comes to technology.
Sonicjeb Eats: Why did you decide to become a business owner?
Avi: I believe that great business owners are born, not made. You don't just decide if you’re going to be a business owner, it's just inside of you. To elaborate, every person does what they’re passionate about and makes them feel good, and being a business owner makes me feel good. A piece of advice that I do want to give to anybody trying to venture into business is that a big part of being a business owner is failing, not everything you do is going to be successful; however, perseverance pays off and success will find you.
Sonicjeb Eats: When did you start your business? Also, I HAVE to ask, how often did you hear about the infamous Avenger’s scene where Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) suggested that they all go out for shawarma?
Avi: I started up at the end of 2014, and we do hear about that scene every so often, but not all the time. We put it up on our Instagram story. We did know about the increased interest in shawarma after that scene, and it’s no surprise because both shawarma and falafel are the most popular foods in Israel.
Sonicjeb Eats: What was your mission when you started up Mr. Shawarma?
Avi: I had (and still have) the mission of exposing different people to different types of spices and food that they’ve never had before while doing so in a fast-paced environment. When I say fast-paced, I don’t mean unhealthy processed food, which people normally think of when they hear fast food. I mean quality fresh ingredients served quickly for people on the go. I’m dedicated to doing this every day, so I believe this is my ongoing mission.
Sonicjeb Eats: What do you believe makes Mr. Shawarma Special?
Avi: There are some popular chains that sell similar Mediterranean cuisine to Mr. Shawarma; however, while their food is great, their cuisine is very Americanized. At Mr. Shawarma we try to keep authentic to how food is prepared in Israel. For example, our Shawarma is prepared on and shaved from the vertical boiler in the back of the restaurant (you can see it while your food is being prepared) as opposed to being cooked on a flat-top grill. We believe that it’s the authenticity of our cuisine that makes us special.
Sonicjeb Eats: What made you choose Mr. Shawarma’s location?
Avi: We used to be in the space next door to the one we’re in now, which was originally a kosher pizzeria. I actually didn’t realize what great of a space it was when we first moved in. I was unfamiliar with the Norfolk area, let alone Ghent because I was only familiar with Virginia Beach. The Ghent community has amazing, friendly people, and since opening, you can say it’s been a “love story”. We love the Ghent community, and they love us. We have since expanded into the bigger location and we love it here because it has more space for us to cook, and more space for our patrons to sit in.
I’m so glad we ended up where we did because before opening up in Norfolk, I had had the idea to open up in either Atlanta or Orlando. When the recession happened in 2008, I relocated to Hampton Roads, because the economy didn't get hit as hard by the recession there, so there wasn’t a high cost of living, and since then everything has worked out for the best in regards to my business decisions.
Sonicjeb Eats: What are the top 3 items you offer at Mr. Shawarma that you believe everyone has to try at least once?
Avi: My three favorite items are the falafel, chicken shawarma pita, and beef shawarma pita. Of course, eating our shawarma in a bowl is health-conscious, but I personally love eating it in a pita or a wrap with all the toppings; the bigger the better.
Sonicjeb Eats: What are some goals for Mr. Shawarma you’d like to achieve and/or things you’d like to see happen with Mr. Shawarma in the future?
Avi: I would love to see the Mr. Shawarma brand expand. I would love to open 3 to 5 more locations in the Hampton Roads area, with all of the locations using one essential kitchen that would source the food to other locations.
Sonicjeb Eats: Is there anybody that you would like to give a shoutout to?
Avi: I’d like to give a big thanks to all of the hard-working employees at Mr. Shawarma, especially Tal, who started as an employee and became my business partner. I would also like to shout out to the people at Cafe Stella, who are great friends of mine.
Taken by Noëlle Peterson Photography
After being able to sit down with Avi, and learn more about him and how he runs Mr. Shawarma, I can definitely see why it’s so successful, and how it’s become a staple of the Hampton Roads foodie scene.
I definitely recommend you give Mr. Shawarma a try if you have not already, you will not be disappointed. You can take a look at their official website here as well as read my yelp review below.
