Shawarma Khan Pembina closed

TecnoGenius · October 29, 2024, 09:08:52 AM

Drove by the stadium the other day (don't get there often outside of game day) and thought "let's go to Khan", and lo and behold it was gone. Some new middle-eastern place in its place with a whole new motif.

Bummer.

It's probably been at least 1.5 months since I last was there, so maybe it closed a month ago already?

Skip back a month or so: something changed in the chicken shawarma at the 200-level Khan @PAS about 3 games ago. My son instantly noticed: "something's off, dad". After 2 more games we're like: "must be a new recipe". My guess is it's the chicken, new brand/supplier, or spices or lower quality or something. We don't like it. We get a shawarma at every single game 60 mins before KO for 3 years running. So we notice these things.

So it dawns on me: ah, that's why the flavor changed @PAS. It must be new owners of the franchise (kept the name for goodwill?) and they are cheaping out or just have a bad recipe. I noticed the line at our usual stand was much shorter in the last (TOR) game, which is highly unusual, especially for a sell-out crowd. People have had 2 games to mull it over and are concluding the same as us.

So 2 things:

1. If anyone tries the new place on Pembina, let me know if it's any good.

2. Someone should get word to Khan @PAS that the changes aren't going over well. It's bad enough we likely won't get more than maybe one or two a season (vs 10 times a season). If it is the chicken as I suspect, they need to switch back to the old brand/recipe pronto. The new one actually tastes "off" (like "gone bad").

I'm extra bummed because we're chummy with the dude who manages the 200-W booth, and the staff is very friendly and efficient (staff did not change from what I saw). Best staff in all of PAS IMHO (probably because of low turnover and/or good management).

Oh ya, if anyone has any backstory on why Khan quit, I'm all ears.

WDF I'll probably be switching back to Danny's sandwich...

LXTSN · October 29, 2024, 02:50:12 PM

Obby Khan is an MLA now so maybe he just didn't have the time to keep up with the restaurants and his MLA job.

I really enjoyed Sharma Khan as well, but there are lots of great Mediterranean restaurants in Winnipeg these days!

theaardvark · October 29, 2024, 04:15:11 PM

Lots of new shwarma places opening, with mixed reviews.

"Best Pizza and Donair" on Pembina makes some nice food, they have teh sweet sauce for donairs, and make thier own Pitas...

Guessing that the run for PC party leader has gotten his plate full, downtown location is still open, and he has 4 Green Carrot locations too.

Blueforlife · October 30, 2024, 12:05:06 AM

Quote from: theaardvark on October 29, 2024, 04:15:11 PMLots of new shwarma places opening, with mixed reviews.

"Best Pizza and Donair" on Pembina makes some nice food, they have teh sweet sauce for donairs, and make thier own Pitas...

Guessing that the run for PC party leader has gotten his plate full, downtown location is still open, and he has 4 Green Carrot locations too.

Likely more about profitability (guess) than how busy he is. But yes he just put on a new hat.

TecnoGenius · October 30, 2024, 01:27:04 AM

I wonder how long Khan @PAS keeps the Khan name vs switching to whoever they really are now (assuming my guess is right).

I'm going to mention to the manager dude next game that they have to do something about the new formula for next season.

Has anyone else had a chicken shawarma in the last 3 games and noticed what I'm talking about? I know it's not just me, because my kid noticed it before me. However, I'm curious if anyone else noticed and/or actually likes the new formula.

TecnoGenius · October 30, 2024, 01:29:31 AM

Quote from: Blueforlife on October 30, 2024, 12:05:06 AMLikely more about profitability (guess) than how busy he is. But yes he just put on a new hat.

Khan on Pembina was never busy when I went there, in terms of people eating in-store. However, the Skip The Dishes people were coming in and out every 5 mins, so the staff were always busy. My guess is it was modestly profitable.

I'll try the Best Donair Aards mentioned next time I'm out there. I like donair too. I like a place that people have recommended and has decently nice/competent staff. So much poor service these days out there.

GOLDMEMBER · October 30, 2024, 01:59:06 AM

Never went, no big whoop.

TecnoGenius · October 30, 2024, 02:17:04 AM

Quote from: GOLDMEMBER on October 30, 2024, 01:59:06 AMNever went, no big whoop.

TecnoGenius · October 30, 2024, 05:02:30 AM

Oh ya, I never mentioned it at the time, but I think I saw Kramdi at the Pembina Khan sometime before the season started (might have still been winter-ish?). Can't be sure though, he was just walking out and only saw him for a second.

Still, nothing beats the time I was sitting behind Hall at Popeyes on Wilkes and got to listen to his whole defensive philosophy spiel. That was ages ago.

bluengold204 · October 30, 2024, 11:27:46 AM

Eh it's business these things happen. If a store is under preforming and not profitable it will close to avoid any more losses.

As for the taste it's been a while since I had a wrap at the stadium but I never found it to taste the same or be quite as good as the exchange location (this being the only location I've been to). I don't think they are using a different companies recipe and slapping the ShwarmanKhan name on it if that's what you are alluding to.

VictorRomano · October 30, 2024, 03:10:19 PM

Quote from: theaardvark on October 29, 2024, 04:15:11 PMLots of new shwarma places opening, with mixed reviews.

If you're on the east side of the city, Osmow's (a Canadian chain) by Kildonan Place is good. Northside/downtown is Bakara Bakery on Main's home turf, and my personal favorite, followed closely by Medina Shawarma in the west end on Logan. I rarely make it to the southside or St. James/Roblin on the far east side, so can't comment on any Shawarma places over there.

blue_gold_84 · October 30, 2024, 03:11:31 PM

Baraka on Main St. is awesome. Been going there for years.

theaardvark · October 30, 2024, 06:37:06 PM

Just went to Blady Shwarma on St. Marys just south of Dunkirk, and was very pleased. I was surprised because they were super busy (25% off day, and the high school lunch crowd had descended on them), while I waited I went done the mall to their "grocery" store, grabbed some still warm pitas and some dips (babaganoush, hummus and garlic spread). The food was delicious, good portion and dripping out the bottom like it should.

TecnoGenius · October 30, 2024, 09:25:38 PM

Quote from: bluengold204 on October 30, 2024, 11:27:46 AMI don't think they are using a different companies recipe and slapping the ShwarmanKhan name on it if that's what you are alluding to.

But both off-stadium Khan locations are now closed... I'm pretty sure Obby isn't running the stadium locations anymore because they were essentially satellites of the off-campus locations. How can he run just the 3 spots @PAS without the off-site facilities? (Unless he's just closing out the year of his contract with WFC? I guess that's possible.)

Since it's still branded Khan at PAS, that would mean, yes (in all likelihood), it is now a "different company" "slapping" ShwarmanKhan's name on it. And that perfectly aligns with the massive change in taste 3 games ago. It's too perfect to be coincidental, but I'm open to correction if anyone has the inside scoop.

I'm a bit shocked that I'm the only one here that regularly gets Khan at the games... the line-ups are usually 10 miles long as it's clearly the most popular food spot @PAS.

It'll be interesting to see if next season the Khan kiosks are gone completely from PAS, or if they're just rebranded.

End of an era, and I'm a bit saddened. Kind of like when Salisbury left IGF. It ruins our routine!

bluengold204 · October 30, 2024, 10:03:07 PM

Quote from: TecnoGenius on October 30, 2024, 09:25:38 PMBut both off-stadium Khan locations are now closed... I'm pretty sure Obby isn't running the stadium locations anymore because they were essentially satellites of the off-campus locations. How can he run just the 3 spots @PAS without the off-site facilities? (Unless he's just closing out the year of his contract with WFC? I guess that's possible.)

Since it's still branded Khan at PAS, that would mean, yes (in all likelihood), it is now a "different company" "slapping" ShwarmanKhan's name on it. And that perfectly aligns with the massive change in taste 3 games ago. It's too perfect to be coincidental, but I'm open to correction if anyone has the inside scoop.

I'm a bit shocked that I'm the only one here that regularly gets Khan at the games... the line-ups are usually 10 miles long as it's clearly the most popular food spot @PAS.

It'll be interesting to see if next season the Khan kiosks are gone completely from PAS, or if they're just rebranded.

End of an era, and I'm a bit saddened. Kind of like when Salisbury left IGF. It ruins our routine!

He's been selling his wraps at the stadium long before the other non exchange locations opened (and now closed). Can't say what he does now that they have more retail space but in the past when he just had a couple carts I always assumed he had everything prepared from his exchange location and brought over and reheated. Which is why it never tasted quite the same.