When you wander through Raval, searching for a quick bite to eat, a kebab place is never far. However, to me they look everything but appealing. Sweaty, hot, dirty and tiny cramped places where I’d only enter if I was walking around at midnight starving. Which was not very often.
But then I found Bismillah, on calle Joaquin Costa. This is one of my favorite Raval streets anyway, with a colorful mix of vintage shops, Pakistan supermarkets, many bars and of course the inevitable kebab places. But at the bottom you will find an oasis between all those kebab places. A bright, clean and spacious venue with pretty blue Arabic tiles. You can’t miss it.
I once took the gamble – it looked clean and therefore promising – and ordered a kebab. I can tell you now that Bismillah is even worth a detour. Don’t expect cosy dining, but they definitely got me hooked on their fast food. It’s the best kebab I’ve ever had, a blessing between all the other places. Why? Because the bread is freshly baked by the guys there, in a tandoori oven. Often even made while you wait; it doesn’t get better than that.
No regular thin wheat tortilla to wrap your meat in, but a thick, soft, steaming warm Naan bread served with a fair amount of halal kebab and homemade sauce. So if you are on a budget and you need a tasty and quick meal, make sure you stop by!
