Lebanese – Hitting the Sauce

I attended a work dinner at Aladdin’s Casbah. The night we visited, there was a belly dancer and later in evening, a DJ. I overheard Tread Lightly request Shakira. I didn’t know he was a fan. In his honour, let’s listen to “Hips don’t lie“.

I tried a glass of Lebanese wine. I thought it smelled and tasted distinctly different from my usual rotation of wines – as it was more earthy with a tart finish.

We started off with several appetizers – Oriental salad, tabouli, fatouch, cold sesame chicken, hommos, baba ghanouj, vine leaves, pickled vegetables, pita bread, and spinach and meat pies. What a spread! I thought all the appetizers were dinner. My favourite was the baba ghanouj (eggplant dip). I could actually discern the eggplant in it, which was rich in texture and smokey in flavour.

appies3

The salads were vibrant and tangy from lemon juice and herbs. The lettuce was crisp and refreshing. After the appetizers were cleared away, we snacked on a spinach and a meat pie.

salad

Each table had a hookah. There are several flavours to choose from. In between courses, we’d inhale a puff of lemon mint.

tomi

Before our main course, we were treated to a belly dancing performance. I patiently let L watch for 15 seconds before I told him that was enough entertainment for one night. He grinned at me and nodded.

bely
The highlight of the meal was the skewers. Options include lamb, ground beef, beef tenderloin, chicken, quail and jumbo shrimp. Aladdin’s uses a wood charcoal grill. You can taste the difference it makes in the meats and tomatoes. The chicken was juicy. The beef tenderloin was charred on the outside. The beef was well marbled, rendering it tender and moist.

meat

Our platter also contained lamb and a ground beef skewer, but I was too full to try it. Ayecaramba never got to try the lamb because Rascal ate the whole skewer. Sharing is caring dude.

The fries were cut wide and flat. Fluffy on the inside and sumptuously crunchy on the outside. The creamy dipping sauce was pungent with mashed garlic. The rice was tangled with pickled onions and fresh dill, infused with the juices from the skewers and roasted tomatoes.

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For dessert, we sipped on coffee and munched on baklava. I’m use to baklava that tastes like a soggy, sweet mess. Aladdin’s version crackled and crumbled as I bit into it. I could actually taste the pistachios and I didn’t find the pastry too sweet.

Tread Lightly’s friend Angel told me that Aladdin’s makes the best Lebanese food in the city. I concur. L and I plan on taking L’s parents to feast on Aladdin’s Delight – a spread of eight appetizers, two types of kebobs, dessert, and coffee ($39.99 per person). Just a warning – the DJ’s music can get loud. If you prefer a quieter dinner, visit on a weekday.

L and I did our usual run to Crossroads Market. He was hungry and wanted to get a bite to eat for lunch. I suggested Beirut Street Food, as it was seven minutes away from Crossroads Market. I read on Yelp that the meats are cooked over charcoal and the pita is made fresh to order. For this post, let’s listen to Light my Fire by The Doors.

The restaurant looks brand new. The interior design is modern and sparkling clean. At the front of the store, you can see the pita bubbling up on what looks like an inverted wok. Right after the pita is cooked, it’s brought over to be immediately used in customers’ orders.

pita bread

As I walked past the pita-making station I saw two meat spits – chicken and beef. Each spit slowly turned over charcoal. I could hear the hiss and sizzle when the juices splattered over on the burning coals.

spit

The selection of toppings are vast. There are a variety of sauces –hummus, garlic sauce, hot sauce, tahini and a sweet sauce. I was impressed with the vegetables. The colours were vibrant and you could tell everything was fresh and cut with care. There was lettuce, pickled vegetables, turnips, banana peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, pickles, and parsley.

pita

You’ll need a few napkins because the juices of sauces and vegetables soaked down to the bottom of the plastic wrapper. Our regular size chicken shawarma ($11) was large. However, L and I both didn’t feel heavy or lethargic after eating such a big meal.

The chicken was tasty – I could tell it was marinated beforehand. The freshly made pita made all the difference – it was chewy and crunchy from its time on the grill. This was a standout shawarma. I want to return try beef platter so I can try the meat without any of the sauces.

bite

I’d rate this shawarma the best I’ve had in Canada. I bet the shawarmas in Israel are even better. Ever since I watched Somebody Feed Phil, I’ve wanted to travel to Tel Aviv. I do have mixed feelings about that show. I like Phil, I like the restaurants that are showcased, but I feel like the Somebody Feed Phil is marketed to seniors afraid to travel outside the United States.