Food review: Middle Eastern food in a wrap at Go Shawarma, Preston,

"The pink thing in there is a pickled turnip,' my colleague warned me.
Chicken shawarma from Go ShawarmaChicken shawarma from Go Shawarma
Chicken shawarma from Go Shawarma

There are pink things in your food and then there are bright pink things in your food and your pickled turnip was certainly a bright pink thing.But in among the chips, jalapeño, lettuce, tomato, coriander, onion, cabbage and pickle you have to be brightly coloured to stand out.Yes, it is fair to say the chicken shawarma wrap from Go Shawarma comes ‘fully loaded’ as they might say in another more famous takeaway.Not that the Friargate branch is in anyone’s shadow with queues a regularly feature of lunchtime life at the Middle Eastern outlet.There is a temptation when a wrap is so packed that the meat goes missing as the other elements ensure not so much chicken or lamb is required to seal the deal.Thankfully that wasn’t the case with plenty of tasty grilled chicken or lamb (or both if you want).The large lamb shawarma was packed full of delicately spiced chunks of meat freshly cut from the slowly turning rotisserie - and there was not the slightest sign of gristle.Each mouthful brought forward the flavours of fresh coriander and tahini sauce while the aforementioned pink pickled turnip and small amount of chips inside the wrap added extra sustenance. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is just a doner kebab. And a shawarma is more than just a sandwich - it’s a whole meal ingeniously rolled up and portable. The contents packed into the soft unleavened bread make for a seriously filling meal.On most occasions the shawarma is wrapped in paper with a tight plastic container placed over the end to catch the juices - this is essential if you’re going to avoid ruining your trousers - but there are occasions when servers forget this vital addition.For Middle Eastern street food done with aplomb, it doesn’t get much better than Go Shawarma.And word has spread.Walk down this half of Friargate at lunchtime and the chances are the queue will be bursting out of the (admittedly rather small) premises. It’s fast food in the sense that you can get your shawarma made in a minute but it tastes so much better than anything you’ll get in a burger bar. With a large mixed shawarma weighing in at £4.50 and the large chicken and large lamb ones £4 each the prices are tasty too. * Go Shawarma is at 118A Friargate, Preston PR1 1EE

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