Battle of the shawarmas

Welcome back to another Spotlight Series with Sarah!
The series where the writer gets to know the city more personally, while the readers get to know the writer better in the process.
When I started my column last year, my very first spotlight was on Karma Coffee & Kitchen, a hidden gem in Wayne with delicious food and treats.
After that first spotlight though, I was worried that I bit off more than I could chew (pun intended) and all my future spotlights would be restaurants or food related. However, as it turns out, restaurants are the topic that I wrote about the least this past year.
So, this month, I wanted to do something different. I decided to do a double-spotlight on two restaurants that have something in common – shawarma.
If you haven’t noticed by now, I love food. I’m a big eater and I’m willing to try anything once. For some reason, shawarma is something I’ve never really got around to trying. But for my column, I was willing to try it. Twice.

Amo Sami’s Shawarma is located at 38800 Michigan Ave. and is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

On Friday, March 21st, I stopped by Amo Sami’s Shawarma. Amo Sami’s is connected to a gas station, so once you walk inside, look for the blue wall at the back of the building.
I was greeted quickly by an employee and asked if I was there for pick-up or to order. I said, “to order” and asked what are two of their most popular items. Chicken Shawarma Sammie and Chicken Fattoush Sammie were the answers, so that is what I ordered.
There were a few customers already waiting for their order, but I didn’t have to wait long for mine to be completed. I also received some pita chips and hummus to try.
My mom is not adventurous when it comes to food, but my brother, Solomon is, so I had him try Amo Sami’s with me. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started eating. The Chicken Fattoush was really good, but it had a lot going on when you bit into it. The Chicken Shawarma was delicious but absolutely loaded with pickles.
I’m not a fan of pickles. In fact, I hate pickles. But I had planned to just pick them out and give them to Solomon (since he loves pickles) but it was a bit challenging because there were so, so many. So, if you aren’t a pickle fan, like me, I would definitely recommend asking for no pickles. But if you are a pickle lover, I would absolutely recommend this item for you.
Both items were delicious on their own, but I’d recommend using the garlic dip that’s given. It puts the food a step above. The pita chips were fresh and very seasoned. The hummus was smooth and creamy.
Between the Chicken Fattoush and the Chicken Shawarma, Solomon equally enjoyed both of them, but I think I preferred the shawarma more (even with having to pick out the pickles).
The following day, Saturday, March 22nd, I stopped by Billi’s Shawarma.

Billi’s Shawarma is located at 35600 E Michigan Ave. and is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Billi’s is also connected to a gas station, so once you walk inside, look to the right of the building.
Again, I was greeted quickly by an employee and asked if I was there for pick-up or to order. I said, “to order” and asked the same question: “what are two of your most popular items?” Chicken Shawarma and Fattoush Salad was the answer and what I ordered. However, I learned my lesson from yesterday and ordered the shawarma without pickles.
It didn’t take long before my name was called that my order was completed. I was in and out within minutes.
Solomon was busy that day, so I tried Billi’s on my own. The shawarma had beautiful grill marks and was loaded with meat inside. There was garlic dip already inside, which was a nice touch.
I’m not a big salad person, but I must admit I did enjoy the Fattoush Salad. It was covered in dressing and had a nice crunch with the pita strips on top. Also, the salad was huge, like so huge that I couldn’t finish it in one sitting.
Between the Chicken Shawarma and the Fattoush Salad, I preferred the shawarma more.
Between Amo Sami’s Shawarma and Billi’s Shawarma, I genuinely liked both places.
When it comes to the battle of the shawarmas, you can decide for yourself. Both places are connected to a gas station, so you can fill up your tank and fill up your belly.
Amo Sami’s Shawarma had its ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. “It’s been going extremely well,” said Ali Faraj, Amo Sami’s Shawarma owner. “We’ve grown so much since October with repeat customers and new ones trying us out. We must be doing something right.”
Amo Sami’s Shawarma originally started out in a food truck parked at a gas station in Wayne, moved locations, and then returned to Wayne in the existing building of the same gas station where it originally parked.
“It feels like home. We’re back to seeing familiar faces that missed us, and we missed in return,” said Faraj. “There’s nothing like a brick-and-mortar. It gives people a roomier feel.”
Amo Sami’s Shawarma has three locations: Dearborn, Sterling Heights, and Wayne. Some of Amo Sami’s Shawarma’s bestselling items are the chicken shawarma and the Amo Sami (chicken, fries, pickles, and coleslaw.)
Faraj and Ali Fawaz, another Amo Sami’s Shawarma owner, are both from Wayne. Faraj has been a Wayne resident since 2015. “Wayne is a blue-collar city that works hard for their paychecks, we want to give them a tasteful treat,” said Faraj. “We’d love for everyone to check us out. We’ll give them the best meal they’ll have.”
Amo Sami’s Shawarma is located at 38800 Michigan Ave. and is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about Amo Sami’s Shawarma, visit amosamis.com/wayne/ or call (734)329-2392. To order online, visit: amo-samis-wayne.square.site. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram by searching “Amo Sami’s Shawarma.”
Billi’s Shawarma has been in Wayne since 2017. “We have a simple menu, everything is fresh, and everything is great,” said Taher Akhdar, Billi’s Shawarma manager. “Everyone that tries it comes back.”
Akhdar has been manager for seven years and is the brother of the owner of Billi’s Shawarma.
“My community is great, I love Wayne,” said Akhdar. “In seven years, everyone is nice and happy. They love the food and come back every week.”
Some of Billi’s Shawarma’s bestselling items are the chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, and fattoush salad. “We’re happy in Wayne and happy in our corner of the gas station,” said Akhdar. “We want to stay in Wayne for a long time. Everyone is welcome.”
Billi’s Shawarma is located at 35600 E Michigan Ave. and is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. For more information about Billi’s Shawarma, call (313)231-3700. You can find them on Facebook by searching “Billis Shawarma” and Instagram by searching “billysshawarma.”
Be sure to check out Amo Sami’s Shawarma and Billi’s Shawarma and be on the lookout for the next Spotlight Series with Sarah!