News that a kebab van could be forced off the Hounslow roundabout it has called home for 25 years has sparked a frenzied response online .
People have taken to Twitter and Facebook to declare their support, and in some cases indifference, to the potential loss of the takeaway outlet at Henlys Roundabout in Bath Road.
More than 500 people have signed an online petition , with one fan claiming it serves up the best kebabs in Hounslow and another declaring them the best in the world.
However, another Facebook user questioned whether anyone would notice the loss of one of the capital's plethora of kebab vans.
Ahmad Al-Amin, who runs the kiosk with his brothers, said one businessman came all the way from Ireland each year to sample his produce. "He says it's the only place he eats in London when he's here for business meetings," said Mr Al-Amin.
With that in mind, the team at getwestlondon decided to put the kebab van's fare to the test by comparing its grub with that from the neighbouring McDonald's store.
Kebab van
Quarter pounder beefburger with cheese £2.70
Decent meat content and authentic chargrilled taste, if a little dry. Generous portion, with three patties ***
Chicken kebab with chilli sauce £4.50 small/£6 large
Succulent, delicately-spiced chunks of chicken with fresh salad. Chilli sauce not overpowering ****
Donner kebab £3.50 small/£5 large
Slightly short on flavour but goes well with the chilli sauce and salad ***
McDonald's
Double cheeseburger £1.49
The office was split on this. The burger itself was slightly anaemic and synthetic tasting, but it was lifted by the gherkins and sauce ***
Sweet chilli mayo chicken £1.09
Decent sauce but the chicken burger itself tasted a bit bland and rubbery **1/2
Medium fries
You either love them or hate them. Salty and limp but strangely addictive ***
OVERALL SCORE
A comfortable victory for the kebab van, by 10 points to eight-and-a-half, with its chicken kebab the definite star. Not the best kebabs in London, in our humble opinion, but definitely a step above what you'd expect from a kiosk at a busy junction near Heathrow.
