Dessert cakes, Lebanese cuisine share spotlight at Aladdin's
The decadent desserts at Aladdin's Eatery probably draw in as many diners as the fast and tasty Lebanese cuisine, the restaurant's management says.
When eager snackers walk into the restaurant -- which has four Pittsburgh-area locations, in Squirrel Hill, Ross, Mt. Lebanon and Cranberry, and several other locations out of state -- they see the glass case full of large, multi-layered, rich cakes, including many flavors of cheesecakes, to make their mouths water. Often, the baked goods alone satisfy their snack attacks, says Shireen Attar, general manager of the Aladdin's Eatery in Ross.
"Everybody likes our desserts because they have more cake than whipped cream," says Attar, a native of Syria. She used to work at the Squirrel Hill location, where she got to know many professionals who took breaks from their day to grab a sweet treat.
"The minute they walked in, I knew exactly what they would order," Attar says.
The desserts come from Sweetheart U.S.A., a Northfield, Ohio, bakery owned by family members of Aladdin's owners. Customer favorites are the Chocolate Bomb cake, with layers of chocolate mousse, chocolate cake and chocolate ganache; and cheesecakes, including seasonal flavors such as eggnog and candy cane. Restaurant staff members constantly rotate which cakes are available on any given day, out of a selection of several dozen. Cake slices are $5.95. Aladdin's Eatery also has many other sweets, including caramel pecan, cranberry apple and chocolate chip cookies for $1.95, and various types of baklava for $1.25.
For more healthful snacks, Aladdin's offers plenty of dishes, most of which take between five and 10 minutes to prepare and serve.
"That's why a lot of people like us, especially for lunch," Attar says. "They just come in for a quick bite and leave.
"It's a really nice environment," she says. "It's fresh, healthy food, all made from scratch."
Some light favorites perfect for snacks come from the appetizer menu. Popular selections include hummus with pita bread for $5.95, and tabouli, a mixture of parsley, onions, cracked wheat and tomatoes, with pita bread, for $5.95. Another popular appetizer is dawali, a dish made of grape leaves stuffed with rice, chickpeas, tomatoes and parsley, topped with dressing and feta cheese. This dish, which also comes with pita bread, is $5.95.
Other snack menu items are the Pita Pitzas, flat pitas that are topped with ingredients, toasted and cut into four pieces. Two of the favorites ($6.75 each) are Aladdin's Chicken Pitza -- with honey dijon dressing and garlic sauce, chicken, green peppers and scallions -- and Farrouk's Falafel Pitza, with yogurt, falafel, yellow peppers, tomatoes and parsley.
Rolled pitas also make popular small dishes. Popular variations include shish kabob with beef, chicken salad and lamb, which cost $6.75, $5.75 and $6.95, respectively. Rolled pitas also come in several vegetarian varieties.
Camille Chamoun, who owns the Pittsburgh-area Aladdin's and some Ohio locations, says he hopes to open new Aladdin's restaurants soon in Fox Chapel, Monroeville and Mt. Lebanon. The restaurant remains popular even during a recession because of its low prices and healthy food, he says.
Aladdin's Eatery has four locations: 20424 Route 19, Cranberry; 630 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon; 5878 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill; and 4885 McKnight Road, Ross. Hours are 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the Cranberry, Ross and Mt. Lebanon restaurants are open 11 a.m.-11 p.m., and the Squirrel Hill restaurant is open 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Details: 724-778-9800 for Cranberry; 412-344-1111, Mt. Lebanon; 412-421-5100, Squirrel Hill; and 412-369-9600, Ross.
