Aladdin's Eatery Hyde Park — Restaurant in Cincinnati

I really like coming here for lunches because I don't have to jump through hoops to accommodate my dairy allergy. There is a location close to my work and close to my home, so it's very easy for me to pop in and get a quick bite to eat for fairly cheap.

My go-to is either the vegetarian combo, or the tabouli salad, depending on how hungry I'm feeling. I have had the lamb rolled pita as well, which is really good in flavor, but doesn't have a lot of meat on it. I don't really tend to eat a lot, so I haven't had many of the entrees, just because I know I won't eat that much and I hate to waste food. The wine selection is good and very reasonably priced.

The only item on the menu that I've had that I didn't particularly enjoy was the foul mudammas (I don't ever remember how to spell it, but the basic recipe contains fava beans with lemon juice, tomatoes, garlic, EVOO and salt), which is disappointing to me because it's one of my favorite Mediterranean dishes in general. The flavor was fine, but I think it's a dish that is best served hot.

Also, while the pita bread tastes just fine and I enjoy how thin it is, I do think that it's strange that it is served cold and without any dipping oil at all. Not even any EVOO on the table.

Overall, I do enjoy my experiences at Aladdin's and I plan on...

I have in the past appreciated Aladdin's but on yesterday's visit I was really disappointed. The food was absolutely unimpressive. I first ordered beans and rice without toppings. I got a plate full of rice with three (3) red beans visible, and a meager sprinkling of peas and diced carrot. The menu promised beans and rice with vegetables. I asked if I could get something else, and ordered the mujadara. This is one of my favorite dishes that I've cooked for years. I got a large portion of unseasoned, dry lentils and some rice, smothered in fried onions. Lazy cooking, imho. Mujadara is a delicious somewhat soupy stew of lentils and rice mixed with lots of garlic and onions cooked until caramelized, and fragrant with cumin and cinnamon. I had to ask for some tahini sauce and used my lunch companion's unused salad dressing to give it some moisture and flavor. I won't return there - they must have had a change of chef...

I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. I didn't expect much from a franchised restaurant but I would say the classics were on par with any good authentic Arab owned restaurant. Excellent hummus, bana ganoush, falafel etc. I usually don't like most hummus or falafel I find in restaurants but I am still craving what I tried at Aladdin's. I also love that they had other dishes like mujadara that you don't typically see in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurants in the US. The onions were delectable and their richness really complimented the perfectly cooked lentils and the freshness of the salad. The mango smoothie was also very good. I would say that the lentil soup is a little insipid and probably suited for people with less adventurous palettes and I wish the pita were thick, soft and fresh rather than seemingly from a grocery store - or at least toasted. But overall, really...