There may not be a more unique way to end a meal between friends than to sip Turkish coffee and pass hookah late into the evening: Aladdin's Cafe provides such an experience.
Located at the corner of Hertel Avenue and Virgil Avenue, Aladdin's Cafe is one of few hookah bars in the Buffalo area. The cafe features over 20 flavors of sheesha, including apple, mint, strawberry, coca-cola, fruit cocktail, and Aladdin's own specialty mix; all reasonably priced from $10 to $11.
Owners Maggie and Motasim Agha opened the cafe in the summer of 2007, converting much of their Middle Eastern market into a more hookah-based affair.
That being said, the cafe provides an extensive menu that goes far beyond flavored tobacco, and at reasonable prices.
Popular dishes such as falafel, hummus, shish kabob, baba ghanough, and rolled grape leaves are classic favorites that are carried to almost every table.
The baba ghanouj, an eggplant spread flavored with a sesame paste, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and parsley, is a tasty side to any meal.
Most side dishes range in price from $4 to $7 for regular or large portions.
Although less familiar to a first-time customer of Middle Eastern dishes, kibbeh and shawirma are great alternatives to a traditional kabob.
Shawirma is a pita wrap filled with grilled beef or chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, parsley and tahini (sesame paste).
Like all signature pita wraps, the tasty chicken shawirma comes with a choice of hummus, house salad, or rice or potato salad, satisfying the deepest of hunger pains without a painful pinch to your pocket, at just $6 for a regular size or $9 for a jumbo size.
Kibbeh, on the other hand, is not a pita wrap but rather a torpedo-shaped bulgur wheat shell filled with spiced minced beef, fried until brown. An order includes three kibbehs with a side of hummus and pita.
The atmosphere at Aladdin's becomes more intimate as the sun dies down and the stained glass hanging lanterns bounce pink, green and yellow light off the long fabrics that drape from the ceiling down to the comfortable couches below.
There are six cushioned lounge areas that easily fit five to nine people each, as well as several traditional dining setups around the restaurant. Sprinkled with pillows, the couches center around a knee-high table, perfect for facilitating conversation that is as comfortable as the spaces.
Guests feel welcomed and at ease with the cheerful staff who are both attentive and friendly.
The cafe opens everyday at 10:30 a.m. and is open Sunday through Thursday until midnight and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. There is also free wireless Internet access available.
Overall the dim lighting, soft fabrics and fitting music provide an atmosphere where friends can easily spend hours eating great food, smoking hookah and enjoying each other's company.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
