Review: Shawarma is a must at Canton's Wild Thyme

Kelsey Davis, The Repository
·3 min read
Portion sizes are plentiful at Wild Thyme.
Portion sizes are plentiful at Wild Thyme.

CANTON – Opened in August 2022, Wild Thyme is a carryout-only spot offering authentic Middle Eastern food. If you haven’t visited yet, make plans soon.

The owners, who are from the Republic of Georgia, opened Wild Thyme to offer the community a taste of their Armenian and Georgian roots.

The restaurant, at 2226 Cleveland Ave. NW, features shawarma, grilled chicken with rice pilaf, shish kabobs, chicken wings, falafel, beet and Greek salads, khachapuri and other sides, pastries and soup of the day.

The vegetarian shawarma at Wild Thyme has falafel in lavash bread, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, peppers and homemade Mediterranean mayo. It comes with a side of tahini sauce.
The vegetarian shawarma at Wild Thyme has falafel in lavash bread, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, peppers and homemade Mediterranean mayo. It comes with a side of tahini sauce.

For my first trip, I ordered a vegetarian shawarma, grilled chicken with rice pilaf, a Greek salad, khachapuri and a napoleon. Unsure of portion sizes, I ordered more than I usually would and planned to share with my husband.

No need to worry about portions here; everything was plentiful enough for leftovers.

The khachapuri ($3), a fresh, hot pastry with cheese, had a flaky pastry outside with a fluffy, light cheese inside. It was large enough to share.

My vegetarian shawarma ($10) was the star of the show. With falafel in lavash bread, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, peppers and homemade Mediterranean mayo, it was perfection. It had a subtle spiciness to it, and the mayo added a light, creamy touch. It comes with a side of homemade tahini sauce, but I enjoyed it without.

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Wild Thyme's menu features shawarma and grilled chicken with rice pilaf, both shown here, plus shish kabobs, chicken wings, falafel, beet and Greek salads, khachapuri, french fries, coleslaw, pastries and soup of the day.
Wild Thyme's menu features shawarma and grilled chicken with rice pilaf, both shown here, plus shish kabobs, chicken wings, falafel, beet and Greek salads, khachapuri, french fries, coleslaw, pastries and soup of the day.

I wasn’t a fan of the grilled chicken with rice pilaf ($10). The sizable piece of chicken on a large bed of rice wasn’t nearly as appealing as the shawarma. It wasn’t bad, just not something I’d order again.

The Greek salad ($6) had leafy greens with tomato, cucumbers, kalamata olives, banana peppers and red onions with a side of Greek dressing and a sprinkle of feta cheese. I’m a fan of Greek salads, and this one was substantial with plenty of toppings.

The Greek salad was topped with tomato, cucumbers, kalamata olives and red onions with a side of Greek dressing and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
The Greek salad was topped with tomato, cucumbers, kalamata olives and red onions with a side of Greek dressing and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

Unpacking our order, I noticed a container of coleslaw ($2), which we didn’t order. It tasted like most other coleslaws I’ve had — good but nothing extraordinary.

Now onto another highlight, the napoleon ($3). The European puff pastry with sweet cream, topped with powdered sugar, was a delight. It was light, creamy and sweet — all great elements of a tasty, rich dessert. I loved it.

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The napoleon, a European puff pastry with sweet cream, topped with powdered sugar, was rich and tasty.
The napoleon, a European puff pastry with sweet cream, topped with powdered sugar, was rich and tasty.

Wild Thyme has online ordering and a drive-thru, which was convenient on the rainy evening I visited. The woman working was very friendly while she packed our order. Overall, it was a pleasant experience.

Wild Thyme is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Visit wildthymecanton.com for more information.

Wild Thyme

Taste: Most of the meal was a winner. 4.5/5 stars

Ambiance: The drive-thru and parking lot are small, but the vibe is lively and welcoming. 4/5 stars

Service: Friendly and prompt. 5/5 stars

Concept: Neat idea to have a drive-thru offering Middle Eastern food. 4.5/5 stars

Price: Prices seemed good for the amount and quality of food. 5/5 stars

Overall rating: 4.6 stars

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Review: Shawarma is a must at Canton's Wild Thyme