Kansas City has so many excellent Middle Eastern restaurants, that it’s hard to single out one. The current favorite sit down Middle Eastern restaurant for Dining Companions 1 and 2 and myself, is the Aladdin Cafe on West 39th Street. It often is our choice for lunch. Dining Companion #2 calls the Aladdin Café “the best Middle Eastern restaurant in Kansas City right now.” All of us like the ambiance, the dishes, the flavors, and the service. We especially like the vegetarian and vegan options.
The Aladdin Cafe opened in 2006 and currently operates at 39th Street and Wyoming in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri. There are 4-5 parking spots outside the restaurant and on street parking along both streets. The café has one large room, with rows of booths along each wall. The place is clean, nicely decorated, clean and not noisy even when full of customers.
Their Aladdin Lentil Soup is one of the best in town. Lentil soups are often my choice when dining out, mainly because it’s one of the vegetarian soups many restaurants get right. The tabouli, fattoush, and Greek salads are tasty, dependable appetizer options.
We are big fans of Jasmine’s Vegetarian Combo and the Cauliflower Zahra entrée. The vegetarian combo lends itself to sharing with your dining companion, especially if you get soup, salad and an appetizer. The combo is a large, attractive plate, featuring hummus, falafel, baba ghanouj, stuffed grape leaves, genie dip, olives, feta cheese and pita bread. The Cauliflower Zahra is roasted cauliflower that comes with rice, tahini, and pita. Aladdin’s pita is fresh and flavorful.
Falafel and hummus sandwiches are often my favorite entrée option at Middle Eastern restaurants (and food trucks). Aladdin Café has excellent takes on the falafel, hummus and pita format. They also offer a cauliflower and falafel sandwich, the Jaffar (eggplant, cauliflower and hummus), a baba ghanouj sandwich, and eggplant parmesan.
Neither I nor my dining companions have tried the meat entrees, but Aladdin Café has a large variety of meat dishes. They have seven kebob entrees and one kebob combination platter. Not just the expected lamb and beef kebobs, but also various seafood kebobs. Regular meat entrees include Sumac Chicken, Shish Taouk (marinated chicken strips), Curry Chicken, and several shawarmah and gyro platters. Meat sandwiches include Aladdin’s Gyro, Dill Chicken, and Kifta & Hummus.
The service has been outstanding during all of our visits. The staff are friendly, helpful and professional.
Vegetarian entrees range in price from $9 to $12. Meat entrees mostly fall in the range between $12 and $17.
While the Aladdin Café adds to the neighborhood vibe of West 39th Street, it’s also a destination restaurant for Kansas Citians looking for fresh, delicious Middle Eastern cuisine.
They also have a location in Lawrence, Kansas.
Aladdin Café, 3903 Wyoming Street, Kansas City, MO 64111, 816-531-5982
Website: http://www.aladdincafe.co/
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