Raptors' RJ Barrett reveals the Toronto cheat meal he can't resist
Toronto Raptors shooting guard RJ Barrett recently visited the Offside studio ahead of preseason, ready to talk basketball and his new partnership with Milk. However, the conversation shifted to recovery and a shawarma routine he's trying to retire.
Barrett told Offside that he's made more of an effort in recent seasons to improve his diet and recovery, hence this new partnership with Milk, though he's having a hard time letting this one savoury treat go.
The 26-year-old indicated he's a shawarma connoisseur, and that he's a frequent customer at the popular GTA chain Lazeez Shawarma. And his preference isn't just your average shawarma order.
Lucas Medeiros/Offside | @lazeezshawarma
"It's a fat boy order... I would get a chicken shawarma poutine. Let's call it that."
His Lazeez order starts with poutine, followed by chicken, gravy and cheese curds, before being topped with special sauce — then even more gravy.
"I'm not gunna lie. Recently, I have been watching my figure lately so I've stopped [getting] this," says Barrett.
Barrett swears the chicken shawarma poutine isn't an everyday staple in his diet; it's more of a post-game reward for nights when he's played a lot of minutes.
"Sometimes after these games, I'm like, 'Alright. I played a lot [of minutes] tonight. Let me, let me get it, you know,'" Barrett says with a laugh.
While Lazeez Shawarma might be the location for his go-to cheat meal, Barrett says it wouldn't be the place he'd take his Raptors teammates for dinner.
Instead, he'd try somewhere like upscale Toronto steakhouse Harbour Sixty — which many would agree is a little more accommodating for larger parties than Lazeez's shop.
"I remember the one time we went to Harbour Sixty for my birthday; I had a good time. I'd take them there for the little more private area and some fun," says Barrett.
As part of Barrett's new partnership with Milk, he said he's been incorporating a glass to up the protein in his recovery routine.
"This is something that I've been incorporating into my recovery. You know, each glass has nine grams of protein," says Barrett.
"If I put the right stuff in my body before I'm on the court, I see a difference. And then in recovery, after, it helps to lead into the next day."
We can't argue with Barrett's balance, especially if he's averaging nearly 20 points per night.
It'll be a big upcoming season for Barrett with the Raptors, as he's entering the final year of his four-year, $107 million contract.
Barrett has come out and said that he wants to remain playing for his hometown team, but it will depend on whether the Raptors' front office can free up cap space to offer him an extension, or whether they even see him in the team's future plans.
Lucas Medeiros/Offside
