Aladdin's Mediterranean Cuisine- Similar, but Cheaper than Fadi's

Restaurant: Aladdin's Mediterranean Cuisine
912 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77006
Buffet or a-la-carte: neither
Date of Visit: 2/25/14

Photo Credit: http://places2.assets.gotime.com/15eca1729a5d656d68bce3029bbf60d2765dc263_l.jpg

UPDATE 8/13/16:

I've come here on many occasions and I just love their food. I found the food here to be better than Fadi's, food as in the stuff that you get when you order cafeteria style. This is my top spot for Mediterranean food inside 610.

Background:

Salam/hey guys! Finally, after going through the ordeal of trying to change my major in college, I'm back! Today I will be reviewing Aladdin's Mediterranean Cuisine. I had gone after my 11:30 class had finished early, and I had forgotten my lunch at home that day. The drive here according to the GPS takes us through the heart of the Third Ward, so it was too dangerous for me to go in my sparkling 2013 Camry. The best way to go there from UH is to exit to Allen Parkway from I-45. Then turn left onto Montrose Boulevard. After you reach the Westheimer signal, you go a little bit ahead, and then you make a three point turn onto the opposite lane, cross the signal again, then park your car at the nearby parking lot. The restaurant entrance is there once you park the car.

Let The Experience Begin!
The setup is exactly like Fadi's, You get a tray, then you go around and get one side, and one entree. You also have an option of ordering something. I decided to order something. The ambiance was nice, and there was also outside seating available too. After looking at the menu, I was ready to order.



Let's Eat!
I decided to order the Ultimate shawarma, which was a mixture of beef and chicken in a roll with the basic shawarma ingredients. My side would be French Fries, and my drink was Pepsi. I paid a total of $9.73. The waiting time was a great 7 minutes and 23 seconds.



Menu: http://www.aladdinshouston.com/dining-menu/
The menu resembles Fadi's. The major difference, however, is that it was much cheaper than Fadi's. I paid $22.50 for the cafeteria style, which I will try on my next visit. For the ordering, I paid $5.94 for the filet mignon kabab, and it came with only a few pieces. The Shawarma, however, was loaded.

Ultimate Shawarma

The Verdict:

The food was really awesome! The balance between the bread, the vegetables, and the meat was there! It was also very filling! The beef and chicken were cooked perfectly. They forgot to put my side of fries, but I was compensated with a free soda! Two thumbs up for the food!

The service was great compared to other Mediterranean restaurants. In other restaurants, they would often refute the claim that they made a mistake, and would tell the customer to pay up. Here, they forgot the fries but they gave me the free soda! They were very friendly and they let me take my time to order.

Conclusion: 

If you want some good Mediterranean food, then Aladdin is a great place. Just don't go through the Third Ward to get here, whether it is during the day or the night. But you will still enjoy the food that they have to offer with great service.

Grading:

Service: 10/10

Food: 9/10

Waiting Time: 10/10

Overall: 29/30 = 96.7% (A)
Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Aladdin's Mediterranean Cuisine

912 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77006

Phone: (713) 942-2321

Website: http://www.aladdinshouston.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AladdinsHouston

Timings: Sun-Thu: 10:30 AM - 10 PM; Fri-Sat: 10:30 AM - 10:30 PM

Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed