Editor Pick
Ali Baba
- April 10, 2007
- Rated 5 of 5 by
fabulousfrock from Winter Springs, Florida
Vegan? Vegetarian? Gluten-free? Show me the meat? No matter what your dietary desire or requirement, Ali Baba's buffet has something to offer.
Ali Baba is perhaps best-known for its belly-dancing shows in the evening. I hear these are excellent but this is a budget traveler's review and dinner can get expensive. The buffet goes up in price the later in the day it gets. Lunch is a good deal; takeout even better unless you really eat a lot. Takeout is $6.95 per pound if you include meat; $5.95 per pound for vegetarian. Naturally, we just fill two containers, one with most of the vegetarian dishes, although we include a little rice in the meat one so they don't think we're too cheesy. If you eat in, the lunch buffet is $8 or $9 for meat-eaters and a dollar less for vegetarians. Tip: If you get takeout, don't take the meat on the bone. It'll drive up the price.
And what do you get for your dollar? Among the many highlights of the buffet are the Mediterranean salad with cucumber, tomato, and mint (excellent with the falafels); as many big olives as you can eat; Greek salad; baba ghannouj and hummus, along with a few other dips; a relatively plain saffron rice and a fancier rice that varies; several soups and stews; a tandoori-type chicken; and of course, kebabs. My personal favorite is a warm, savory eggplant dip with egg in it. Most items are clearly labeled as to whether they are vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. They even have dessert - chocolate cake, baklava, and fruit, although I've never tried their baklava as it always looks a little sad.
The service is good although since it's buffet you won't need much of it. The dining room is one large, open space that can get pretty noisy. Overall, a delicious and off-beat option in the Orlando dining scene.
From journal Affordable, Delicious Multicultural Cuisine