If You Take Gd Out of the Picture, I'm All That's Left

Aladdin's

Ballston lunch spot number 347: Aladdin's Middle Eastern Eatery.

This place unquestionably gets a business crowd going, and knows (fairly well) how to handle it. While my usual posts refer to "my guest" or "my date" or maybe possibly even "a group of four," this time it was an office outing of around 15 people. We wanted to sit outside, they sat us outside. At one long table, with umbrellas to cover everyone. And they were quick about it. We tried the same at Ted's Montana Grill, and suffice it to say the waitress nearly had an ulcer trying to fit two tables together (in the end, we sat at two tables next to each other but apart.)

The service was, at the very least, observant. Water and bread came when water and bread was needed. Orders were placed at the appropriate time, appetizers arrived quickly, nobody tried to interrupt conversation, so the service was almost perfectly unnoticeable (I don't like it when waiters try to give me a rundown of everything unless I've asked for it or clearly demonstrated an interested, especially if I'm with a group of people). But then the shitshow happened.

Somehow, all of the girls ended up with no meals. There was some back and forth, some "kitchen messed up," but very little by way of apology or even explanation. One had to wait for her meal a good 10 minutes beyond everyone else. My personal favorite snafu was, when the server brought the check, she gave it to the one girl that had to wait the longest. Not the clearly older people from the office, not even one of the 12 or so guys. Because clearly the one who was most slighted is going to tip you...

But who cares about the service, let's talk food. Aladdin's menu is incredibly long. An entire section is devoted to their juice bar. It's like cheesecake factory, in that you'd better have something in mind, something you always get, or something you're looking for. If you don't, you'll quickly find yourself in a position securities lawyers are familiar with - bogged down in 300 pages, mostly in a foreign language.

That said, if you're craving the Middle Eastern cuisine, Aladdin doesn't disappoint. The wraps are a comfortable size as are the salads, and the food is decently spiced. Don't expect anything mouth watering - even the "spicy" dishes won't make your mouth sing. Avoid the hummus: it lacks flavor and texture, and is vaguely reminiscent of baby food.

-M.