The Year in Kebabs: Reflections on the 2013 Challenge, 2014 Prep

I weaseled into the 2012 Challenge (100 Yellow Beers in 100 Places) because it involved beer and then, quite drunk at the end of that year, decided to mock the 2013 Challenge (50 Burgers in 50 Places) because it didn’t involve beer. I also wanted to mock the other participants because, as fat Americans tend to do, they threw themselves into the gorging challenge with the gusto Brits plunge into drinking contests.  [Is it any wonder I’m trading up from the blue to the red covered passport?]

However, as burgers are particularly shitty in England (the few that aren’t are far too pricey to justify) I requested a substitute dining experience: the kebab. I have been hooked on the spitted elephant leg of spiced meat (I hope it’s meat, anyway) ever since my post-doc years in Amsterdam — in Holland, look for a ‘shoarma’ place to get a decent kebab: they usually aren’t to far from the coffee shop you wake up in.

I was aware that even my unhealthy lifestyle might be challenged by attacking this task too eagerly — to eat 50 of the dreadful things in 50 different places in a year — so I set a pace of one per week (with the option for a bonus kebab here and there) to ensure I finished well on the distant side of the goal line. A kpw (see one of the posts for an explanation) shouldn’t be too hard, should it? But, the pace was toxic and I have been looking forward to a break from this effort for months, now, and may not have another ‘bab before summer now that it’s over. I still enjoy them and have a good database started of who serves a decent one but enough is enough.

So, it may come as a surprise that I am continuing the street-foodie effort into 2014 not so much as part of “Wiley and Brownie’s Annual Challenge” but more due to my own OCD issues. Therefore, 2014 will be the year of Fish and Chips, with special efforts made to visit any with amusing names (such as A Salt and Batter-y, Frying Nemo, or the Codfather). Cod, haddock, pollock, what-have-you as long as it used to swim before it got battered and deep fried…at least one every seven days (minimum 52, probably closer to 100), no repeat venues, a brief report here and add the place to a Fish and Chips map (like the Kebab map that started with the 2013 Challenge, below):

The map so far

Oxford area (near enough to work)

Swindon (near enough the house)

2013 Kebab List:

#	Name	Town	County	Date
1	ZamZam	Swindon	Wiltshire	01 January 2013
2	Kebab Kid	Oxford	Oxfordshire	08 January 2013
3	Westway Chippy	Oxford	Oxfordshire	14 January 2013
4	Falafel House	Oxford	Oxfordshire	17 January 2013
5	Bread Basket	Swindon	Wiltshire	22 January 2013
DNC: chicken	One Minute Food House	Faringdon	Oxfordshire	25 January 2013
6	Branos Express	Oxford	Oxfordshire	28 January 2013
7	Marmaris Kebabs	Swindon	Wiltshire	02 February 2013
8	Keskins	Chippenham	Wiltshire	08 February 2013
9	Old Town Kebab House	Swindon	Wiltshire	16 February 2013
10	Bodrum Kebab House	Oxford	Oxfordshire	27 February 2013
11	Calne Charcoal Grill	Calne	Wiltshire	02 March 2013
12	The Kebab House	Devizes	Wiltshire	03 March 2013
13	King’s Best Barbeque	Swindon	Wiltshire	12 March 2013
14	Gorsehill Grill	Swindon	Wiltshire	16 March 2013
15	Caner’s Kebab Stand	Swindon	Wiltshire	25 March 2013
16	Meli Greek Cafe	Oxford	Oxfordshire	04 April 2013
17	Bodrum Fish Bar	Oxford	Oxfordshire	10 April 2013
18	The Rainbow Takeaway	Faringdon	Oxfordshire	18 April 2013
19	Cirencester Best Kebab	Cirencester	Gloucestershire	24 April 2013
20	Magic Kebab House	Swindon	Wiltshire	30 April 2013
21	Best Food 2000	Faringdon	Oxfordshire	08 May 2013
22	Yummy’s Kebab	Swindon	Wiltshire	18 May 2013
23	Sammy’s Kebab	Cricklade	Wiltshire	25 May 2013
24	Flames Kebab	Trowbridge	Wiltshire	30 May 2013
25	Hassan Kebab Van	Oxford	Oxfordshire	05 June 2013
26	Sammy’s Kebab and Burger	Swindon	Wiltshire	08 June 2013
27	Oscar Grill	Royal Wootton Bassett	Wiltshire	15 June 2013
28	The Brothers Kebab House	Swindon	Wiltshire	19 June 2013
29	Istanbul Kebab House	Didcot	Oxfordshire	26 June 2013
30	Flavour Café	Kidlington	Oxfordshire	04 July 2013
31	Nemrut	Southsea	Hampshire	06 July 2013
32	Newroz	Swindon	Wiltshire	13 July 2013
33	our garden (homemade)	Swindon	Wiltshire	16 July 2013
34	Pewsey Pizza and Kebab	Pewsey	Wiltshire	20 July 2013
35	Poseiden	Oxford	Oxfordshire	01 August 2013
36	LB Lebanese Cuisine	Oxford	Oxfordshire	07 August 2013
37	Southmoor Kebab Stand	Southmoor	Oxfordshire	13 August 2013
38	Fat Friar	Batheaston	Somerset	21 August 2013
39	Pizza and Kebab Hut	Oxford	Oxfordshire	30 August 2013
40	Best Burritoz	Swindon	Wiltshire	06 September 2013
41	Curry Cottage	Swindon	Wiltshire	10 September 2013
42	Diamond Kebab	Gloucester	Gloucestershire	20 September 2013
43	Ruchi	Swindon	Wiltshire	24 September 2013
44	Reg’s Kebab	Chippenham	Wiltshire	04 October 2013
45	Moredon Charcoal Grill	Swindon	Wiltshire	09 October 2013
46	Botley Road Kebab Stand	Oxford	Oxfordshire	16 October 2013
47	Chick-O-Land	Devizes	Wiltshire	20 October 2013
48	Highworth Kebab Grill	Highworth	Wiltshire	30 October 2013
49	Baran	Kentish Town	London	02 November 2013
50	Kebab Point	Hemel Hempstead	Hertfordshire	08 November 2013
51	Jimmy’s Kebab Stand	Swindon	Wiltshire	16 November 2013
52	Ahmed’s Kebab Van	Oxford	Oxfordshire	26 November 2013
53	Fairford Kebab and Pizza	Fairford	Gloucestershire	30 November 2013
54	Ali’s Kebab Van	Oxford	Oxfordshire	05 December 2013
55	Kebab and Pizza House	Marlborough	Wiltshire	14 December 2013
56	Korky’s Takeaway	Swindon	Wiltshire	24 December 2013
57	Posh Nosh	Oxford	Oxfordshire	28 December 2013