Aladdin Mediterranean Café — Restaurant in Fort Worth

What a gem! I know that is a lot to live up to once introduced like that, but I really figured I would jump straight into it! This little unassuming restaurant from the outside has a little bigger presence than the “hole in the wall” types that the locals love, but still secluded in a corner of an average suburban strip mall style location. We went looking for this place on a whim and were pleasantly greeted by the option of outdoor dining. Considering this is Texas in June, we were also happy we were able to be seated in a cozy corner, social distancing, during this unfortunate pandemic. The menu is available online and is available for pick up and delivery, so we won’t bore you with the details. Though there are several pictures of food already… allow me to say this… the food really looks this good in person! These are not doctored “advertisement” photos. This restaurant takes great pride in every facet of the dining experience. Warm and inviting, coupled with wonderful smells from the kitchen and very friendly staff let you know before you are even seated that you are in for a treat! You may have heard, “We are a small family owned and operated restaurant…” before, but it is rarely followed by “…my aunt and uncle work in the kitchen”. The young lady that served us was very friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to share little tidbits of her family cooking history and funny associated stories. She allowed us plenty of time to explore the menu, while making subtle suggestions based on what we may have let on about liking. On to the food! I ordered their kabob trio plate, and my lovely wife, really didn’t know what she was about to miss by ordering fried shrimp and fries. We also ordered the obligatory hummus. The hummus was absolutely delicious, and the fresh pita bread was so soft delicious and fresh (HOT) out of the oven. This is a great way to start a meal here, but there are so many other options that we saw, after having tasted their delicious hummus and pita bread, felt we may have missed out on. The kabob plate allowed me to try all three of their offerings, their Kofta, Chicken, and Beef served on a bed of rice with some more pita bread and hummus, fresh tomato and onion, and a selection of Greek style beans. Each of the kabobs were out of this world delicious and perfectly prepared. The chicken had a… softness about it that made it irresistible. Our waitress explained that the chicken kabob is a local favorite, and many people come just for that alone. The beef was cube style, tender, perfectly marinated, very juicy and would easily be great as a stand-alone. Their Kofta was a home run! The mixture of spices (minced onion, garlic, cilantro and obligatory secret blend) with the ground beef coupled with the tzatziki sauce was an absolute culinary delight. I often like sharing what I am eating with my honey through the process as I tend to be a little more adventurous. Which brings me back to the “what she was about to miss” statement from earlier. Everything from each of the kabobs to the Greek style green beans was met with sounds and statements of pure gastro-bliss to the effect of “oh my goodness, what kind of pasta was that? WHAT?!? That’s green beans? So delicious!” She even went so far as to tell our waitress (motioning to her own plate) “This is really good and all… but THAT!” (pointing to my plate). We were so happy with the flavor of our meal, we completely forgot we had intended to try the baklava. What a great reason to go back! This has easily become our favorite Mediterranean restaurant. I told our server, “I don’t often say, ‘I need to bring my parents here’, but… I need to bring my parents here!” I highly recommend you come check out this gem (see there’s that word again) of a Mediterranean restaurant nestled up in the North Fort Worth Keller area. You won’t be disappointed! And if you read this and don’t try this place out… you will truly miss out! In this case, ignorance isn’t bliss… their food is!

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Let me start by saying our waiter may be in training but it took him quite a while to come back to get our orders after we closed our menus. Then the food took a really long time — several “to-go” orders went out while we waited. He made no attempt to apologize for the delay - we were one of three tables seated. He came to check back after our order was eventually delivered and we reminded him of our dessert order (which he needed to ask someone about). Nice kid, just not coming across as an experienced wait-person. Now, the food. Was good but not exceptional. I think we had a cup of mayo instead of white sauce or garlic sauce. The tahini was good. The hummus was a good consistency but could have used a little more acid. The falafel were small and almost overcooked. The shawarma (chicken) was spiced well but not heavily. The rice was good as were the potatoes. The baklava had a hint of old oil to it (instead of the butter?). Disappointing. Price wise, a bit pricey for the shawarma plate but the falafel plate was a good deal. Not very competitive with the fast food places around and less flavored than the bigger places. Few tweaks could make this all-star. But for now, it will be down the list...

This place is so over priced and the portions are not very large. Take the time to drive the extra mile to the Greek Cafe. Way better food and the owner is super nice. Also I didn't make a scene. I merely asked why it is an upcharge for a side salad which used to be included. You don't realize but I used to eat there all the time. Side salad was included I merely asked why it was an upcharge and was told that the salad and tomatos and onions were more expensive. I then asked her to explain to me how that is more expensive than French fries that I didn't want. I even supported you all during the pandemic. I then told them I don't need the French fries and I don't like onion on my gyro. Should I have been given a discount because I was saving you money? I am sorry your server felt uncomfortable with a normal question and it probably seemed like a scene because your place is always empty. Also I went back to give you another shot because I like small businesses. But I do want to thank you for making me seek out Greek Cafe. Way...