There comes a day when every expat in Nanjing decides they are finally brave enough to try street food.
Amongst the plethora of dumplings, rice, and noodles, an intrepid (and hungry) adventurer may discover Xinjiang meat skewers and naan; an acceptable enough alternative to the doner and kebab often found in our home countries. Alternatives, however, never fulfill our cravings for the real thing, and those who yearn kebab here have ultimately gone unsatisfied, until now.
Located near Nanjing University, Ultra Kebab is the answer to those cravings. Not quite Middle Eastern, and definitely not Chinese, the cafe is the type of place one might find themselves after a European football match.
Ultra Kebab fulfills this niche well, sporting European decor and serving up imported brews alongside its food offerings. While some places in this vein may be a bit dingy, Ultra Kebab is anything but. Though small, the space here is clean and cozy, utilizing its tables, bars, and outdoor patio to the fullest extent. Everything appears freshly renovated, including the kitschy, yet stylish, mirrored bathroom area.
While the ambiance tells you Ultra Kebab is not your typical Chinese street food fare, the menu, or lack of one, backs it up whole-heartedly. Aside from a few secondary options; fish and chips, for instance; there is no menu.
Here, the kebabs are what you make them. After choosing from three sizes (small, medium and Ultra), customers can select from a multitude of fillings, such as tomato, onion, pits chips and pickles, as well as a wide variety of sauces. All selected ingredients are then thrown together with doner style chicken in a wrap to created a personalized culinary masterpiece. Or, at least, a delicious kebab that really impacts the taste buds.
While some may be disappointed that chicken is the only filling currently available, it is clean, tasty and will surely satisfy all your kebab cravings.
There comes a day when every expat needs something besides Chinese cuisine. For those looking for the street food of home, Ultra Kebab delivers.
Ultra Kebab is located at 23 Nan Xiu Cun Hao 南秀村23号号. Tel: 18260050214.
