El Paso, TX
(915) 231-6355
Ali Baba
El Paso has several popular “Mediterranean” restaurants (which I would call “Middle Eastern”), and just about all of them are among my favorite restaurants in the city. Ali Baba has a pretty standard selection of items and I would say the quality and flavor of the food is much the same as other restaurants. The main distinction here from other places is that if you order a sandwich it is wrapped tightly in a pita that looks like a Mexican tortilla with the sandwich looking like a burrito. I do not think this type of pita is as flavorful as others, but the end result is a sandwich that compares favorably with any in the city.
Commenters on Google Maps say Ali Baba changed owners around the beginning of 2024. Normally this could make me revamp the review so it would only reflect the food now being served. Here, though, I think the food has not really changed since my first visit in 2018. What has changed, though, is that I am now making more visits. I think they must be doing something right that has registered with my taste buds. I do think that they no longer have belly dancers. It is not that I am either happy or unhappy about this, it is only that I want to be paying for the food and not the entertainment (unless I have factored the entertainment in as being part of the reason for my visit). Come to think of it, this was not really a bad thing.
Soup and Salad
Lentil soup
Ali Baba has a Lentil Soup that is comparable to others in the city, i.e. one that is very good. I think it is a good complement to the meals here.
House salad
The House Salad with Tahini sauce is one of several salads available, and is good because of the variety of ingredients (tomato, cucumber, sauce). The goat cheese bits (not mentioned on the menu but served with this salad) was a very nice enhancement. The Greek salad is very similar, but with an olive oil and vinegar sauce.
Starters
Tabbouleh
Many of the items the restaurant calls “starters” are ones that I many times have for my main course. Tabbouleh is one that goes well in either the Veggie Sampler or as a side dish.
Falafel
Falafel is an even more logical choice for the main dish, and the one at Ali Baba is one that I classify as being “the real deal.” This is because many times I encounter falafel that is either too dry or too wet and mushy, or does not taste right. It seems to be so hard to get falafel right that I have read that many Israelis do not think they have good falafel at home and they have to go to Lebanon for the real deal (they apparently do this often during times when Lebanon is considered to offer safe travel conditions). I have not been to Lebanon but I do think Ali Baba has some of the best falafel in the Southwest.
The above photo is of the small order of falafel (the Veggie Sampler also gives you four pieces).
Shawarma
Beef and lamb shawarma sandwich
On the menu I have mostly found the decisions to be what kind of meat to order, whether to get a sandwich or a plate, and whether to get shawarma or tawouk. I do not totally understand some of these differences but on the last choice mentioned my meals have made me more a fan of the shawarma dishes. Both are marinated overnight, but to me it is more noticeable on the shawarma. The Beef and Lamb Shawarma is a good choice.
Chicken shawarma
Chicken Shawarma also makes a flavorful sandwich.
Tawouk
Chicken tawouk entree
For the tawouk dishes I have found the Chicken Tawouk to be tender with a good flavor.
Shish tawouk sandwich
Shish Tawouk is chicken breast marinated overnight, cubed and served with garlic sauce. The entree version is served on a skewer with garlic sauce (the sandwich comes minus the skewer). I think, though, that it does not have as much marinated flavor as the shawarma dishes.
Other Menu Items
The shish kebab was reported to me as having meat that was somewhat tough. Since I did not try it, though, this is not going into my calculation for the restaurant’s rating.
Overall Comments
Sandwiches here are somewhat small but are a good price for the amount of food I usually like to eat.
The restaurant does not explain what kind of bread they use for sandwiches, but it is different from the traditional pita they use at other restaurants. To me this is the main drawback for coming here versus other Middle Eastern eateries. I do like the money I save from coming here, though, compared to many other places.
The service here is good–probably better since it changed ownership.
In the evening the restaurant sometimes has an alter ego named Saint Pita that uses Ali Baba’s kitchen but is only available from delivery services such as Uber Eats. I ordered a falafel pita that was very flavorful and had a great tzatziki sauce.
RATING: 24
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily (closes at 7 pm on Sunday)
Smoking: No smoking
Credit Cards: Extra charge for using a credit card for payment
Most Recent Visit: Sep. 3, 2024
Number of Visits: 7
Best Items: Beef and Lamb Shawarma, Chicken Shawarma, Falafal, Lentil Soup, Chicken Tawouk
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Beef and Lamb Shawarma |
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Chicken Shawarma |
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Chicken Tawouk |
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Falafel |
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Tabbouleh |
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Lentil Soup |
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House Salad |