Doner King

Having been spoiled absolutely rotten by the doner mecca that is London this past Summer, I'd been crushed by what seemed like an absolute void of doner options in West LA. Sure, Gyros are great, but in my opinion they don't even come close to a good Turkish Doner Wrap. Luckily, Doner King is about as close as you can get to such a meal without having to hop on a plane.

Star 1 - How was the service and atmosphere?

While far from fancy on the inside, Doner King's service is enough to make me happy even if I had to sit in the dark on the floor. Served by a man who appeared to be the owner, I was absolutely blown away by how accommodating and friendly the staff was. While they were busy when I placed my order with what appeared to be a large catering order, the staff was efficient, and even took some time to check in with a frequent customer, having made his usual order without him having to say a word. Impressive. Star Granted.

Star 2 - How were the portions relative to the cost?

What I've found unfortunately common is the American practice of taking a dish that's cheap and common in another country and presenting it in America as some sort of luxury item while jacking up the prices (gelato very quickly comes to mind). Luckily, Doner King stays true to it's Turkish roots, and a Doner sandwich won't run you more than $5 even after tax. As for size, while my chicken doner wrap was a tad bit small, my friend's sandwiches, which were the same price, were absolutely massive and stuff with lamb. Additionally, the menu was absolutely stacked with affordable options that made me regret having only but one stomach to fill! As far as price goes, Doner King is about as good as it gets without resorting to fast food chains. Star Granted.

Stars 3/4 - How was the food?

Oof! What a meal! From the yogurt sauce to the chicken, my doner wrap was excellent, and I actually considered getting another on the spot. My only regret was that Doner King appears to have a pretty standard recipe that they follow as far as the contents for their wraps and sandwiches go. For example, while possible that I could have tailored my wrap had I made the initiative, I would have preferred my wrap with a hefty load of chili sauce and chopped onions while holding off a bit on the shredded red cabbage. Instead, the contents of my wrap and my friend's sandwiches were standardized and virtually the same. Additionally, they were lacking the hot peppers that are so common elsewhere. That having been said, my doner wrap was excellent. Single Star Granted.

Star 5 - Would you eat it every day if you could?

This is one of the easiest fifth stars I've given in a while. Absolutely. Affordable prices, amazing friendly service and the rarity that is a doner that mirrors those offered in Europe? Sign me up! Star Granted.