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| - Could it be that Aladdin's was a direct contributor to Cleveland's famed culinary revolution? Don't look at me that way just yet - let's review.
First, let's get the review in of this location in particular. I've never had a bad dish here - ever. The selection of Lebanese and other variations of middle eastern cuisine are always delicious, always prepared correctly, and are always presented wonderfully. Plus - you can't go wrong with the health factor with the wide selection of teas, salads, and other vegetarian dishes.
Personally, I'm a fan of the mujadara-anything (any variation including the roll, salad, and entree dish). And the hot sauce is a perfectly balanced homemade mix better than any wing place I have been to. Service is always friendly regardless of which location I go to - I come to expect it regularly!
Yet the big point I'm trying to make is that it isn't a purely ethnic restaurant. It takes wholly-non-American ethnic tastes and presents them in a way that's familiar to the average suburban American palate. Salads, entree dishes, wraps - it's probably not something you'll find in a purely ethnic middle-eastern restaurant.
It introduces the average suburbanite to something outside of standard Americana in a safe way and encourages them to try something different. After they take that first baby step at Aladdin's they can move on to something even more outside of their comfort zone and enjoy exploring what more that northeast Ohio's new restaurant scene has to offer.
So to those who get tired of hearing about Michael Symon, Slyman's, Jonathan Sawyer, and Sokolowski's - head on over to Lakewood and say thank you to those who get the suburbanites out of Applebee's and into supporting our beloved Cleveland.
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