A wrap can be described as a type of sandwich made with a soft flatbread rolled around a filling. Although Turks and Arabs have been eating wraps for centuries, the “wrap” recently became popular in the United States. On the fast food scene, the United States plays the role of a trial laboratory while the rest of the world watches for the latest successful food fad, ready to open a franchise.
Unsurprisingly, the first wrapped sandwiches in the United States were the so-called Syrian Subs served at the Original Soyden in Dracut, MA in 1973. It is speculated that the wrap became popular in California with the growing culinary fame of the Tex-Mex burrito in the 1990s. However, the Bobby Valentine Sports Gallery Café in Stamford, Connecticut is known for having invented the wrap. And Beth Dolan is the waitress credited for serving the first wrap when the restaurant ran out of bread.
Unlike a sandwich, which has two distinct layers, which are the top and the bottom pieces of bread, a wrap, on the other hand, is one piece that completely surrounds the content of the wrap. And speaking of the content, this is the reason why wraps are so great! You can fill them with whatever you like. And I am sure you will find a filling of your choice at “Alsaaj Alreefi”, a fast food restaurant specializing in “saj”- the Arabic wrap.
This flatbread is named after the convex metal griddle called a saj, on which it is cooked. It is made with brown flour (a combination of whole wheat and toasted flour), water, yeast, salt and a little oil but the most important ingredient necessary to make that marvelous bread is technique. The making of the saj is all about tossing, and turning, lifting and tilting the dough. Then it is widened, tossed and twirled round and round, until it is stretched over tufted pillows, then flipped onto the saj or griddle.
Alsaaj Alreefi prepares a variety of delicious wraps. The “Carny Cheddar” has a filling of beef fillet, fried eggplant, and mayonnaise as well as Cheddar cheese. The “Pecanti” comes with chicken breast, Cheddar cheese, spicy tomato sauce, chopped fresh tomatoes and lemon flavored mayonnaise and the “Freto” is a wrap filled with chicken nuggets, Cheddar Cheese, aragula, tomatoes, lettuce dressed in a special sauce.
I have noticed that Cheddar cheese is becoming a very popular cheese because it has an all round appeal. It is neither too strong, neither too mild. It is good for cooking; hence its presence in these wraps. Although the cheese originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West of England, its name does not have a protected designation of origin and its name is used internationally.
The Cheddar used in cooking is mild. A young Cheddar can be aged within a few weeks or months after which it will be a semi-hard cheese with a smooth, slightly crumbly texture and mild flavor. The longer a Cheddar ages, the sharper its flavor and the more crumbly its texture will become.
Some wraps at Alsaaj Alreefi are stuffed with Kashkaval, a semi-hard yellow cheese whose name comes from the Italian cheese “Caciocavallo”. This type of cheese is very popular in Eastern Europe and in the Mediterranean countries. The slightly hard texture of this yellow cheese, just like the Cheddar cheese, makes it suitable for grilling.
The menu features a delicious “Turkey” wrap filled with turkey, Kashkaval cheese, lettuce, freshly cut tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise. If you prefer meat to poultry you can choose “Beef Fillet” a wrap which comes with beef fillet, green pepper, lettuce, mushrooms, pickles, Kashkaval cheese and mayonnaise and the “Shawarma Reefi” is a wrap with chicken Shawarma, Kashkaval cheese and pickles. The selection of wraps also includes “Shawarma Beef”, a wrap made with fat free shawarma, chopped tomatoes, onion, parsley, pickles and Tahina. If you prefer chicken you can order “Shawarma Reefi” a wrap, which includes Kashkaval, pickles, garlic and the chicken shawarma of course!
Incidentally, all the wraps can be ordered alone or as a meal. With a small supplement, your favorite wrap will be served with fried potatoes, a beverage and “hommos”, the well-known chickpea dip.
If you do not feel like having a wrap sandwich, you can order a saj pizza. I never thought I would ever find a “Meat Balls Pizza” that literally consists of meatballs on a pizza instead of a plate but indeed anything is possible with a saj wrap! The selection also features an intriguing pizza named “Extra Pizza” but I shall have to wait for the next visit to discover what mysterious ingredients are served on that particular pizza.
There is a wrap for all times of the day even for breakfast, as you can order a delicious hot “manakish”, a much loved breakfast for the Lebanese. If you roam across the streets of Beirut early in the morning, you will smell “manakish”, emerging fresh from wood-fire ovens.
Alsaaj Alreefi has numerous outlets in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Makkah.
Email: [email protected]
