Arab St, Singapore

The Lebanese Restaurant with Fire-Power!

The past few years have seen a proliferation of Middle Eastern restaurants in Singapore, but if you are looking for excellent Lebanese fare, check out Alaa El Din (Aladdin), a quaint eatery located at Jalan Pinang, along Victoria Street and not too far from the cacophonous Arab Street.

Don?t expect hip or sumptuous Oriental surroundings. There are no exotic colors and textures nor oversized cushions, Arabesques, and low-slung tables in a space that often make up a Middle Eastern divan.

The restaurant?s décor is simple and humble but it offers with a convivial and relaxed feel. Guests can choose to eat inside the air-conditioned interior or dine alfresco. Comfortable chairs and tables greet you.

Mohamed Nabil Baroudi, 25, a Lebanese national and former personal chef to the Lebanese Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, is the owner of the small establishment. Married to a Singaporean, he offers a tasty multi-course menu that extends from the traditional grilled meat and poultry dishes to a selection of seafood fare. Dishes are enticing and artfully presented.

Everything is freshly prepared in-house, including the pita bread. For the Lebanese-food novice who has never tried mezzes (Lebanese hors d?oeuvres) before, mouth-watering delight awaits. Hot pita bread and a selection of mezzes ? hummus (pureed garbanzo bean dip), baba ghanoush (purée of eggplant), tabboule, falafel with tahini sauce, ? are just a colorful, savoury beginning.

Diners have a choice of cold appetizers such as Chicken Caeser or Seafood Salad to hot selections like Basiled Calamari and Falafel to sandwiches -- Safiha Grill, minced kebab toasted inside Lebanese bread served with yoghurt and Fajita, grilled chicken.


You don?t need a belly dancer to induce your senses once you?ve tried the mixed BBQ Machawi. The meat simply melts in the mouth and the seasonings are wonderful as is the buttered rice.

Alternatively, you may choose to savour the Filet Rose, beef steak with mushroom sauce or the Alaa El Din? Salmon fish served with salmon sauce.

The desserts range is minimal with only mouhallabiya, which literally means ?with milk? (fresh milk with coconut and pistachio nuts) and Basbousa (Arabic sweets). However, there are future plans to increase the range.

Be sure to sample the cup of the strong traditional Lebanese coffee as it is possibly the best Middle Eastern brew in town. It?s neither thick nor bitter ? and not too grainy -- but just delicious.

Hope to see you there. Bil hana wa shifa (Arabic for Bon Appetito)


Khaled Talib, 2006-08-05 13:56:45