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Eatery offers fresh, healthy alternative By Cloe Cabrera
DINING ON A BUDGET AL-AQSA RESTAURANT AND GROCERY
WHAT: A comfortable Mediterranean deli and cafeteria serving traditional Middle Eastern food with flair. Take-out available.WHERE: 10805 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace
HOURS: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
CREDIT CARDS: All major credit cards accepted and checks
CALL: (813) 987-2039
R E V I E W
TEMPLE TERRACE - To Arabs, food is more than just something to fill an empty stomach.It's an expression of generosity and hospitality.
That spirit is alive at AL-AQSA Restaurant and Grocery, named for Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site.
Palestinian Abdel Hamid Atiyeh offers mouth-watering dishes at reasonable prices that satisfy the regulars - and anyone else willing to give Middle Eastern food a try.
Atiyeh and his son, Abdulhafiz Jr., go out of their way to make you feel at home.
``Only Americans who served in the Persian Gulf know about our food,'' says Atiyeh, who opened the business in 1992. ``Our food is very healthy and it's fresh.''
The richly seasoned menu relies on vegetables, legumes, olive oil, pita bread and grains. All meat is kosher.
It's a treat to watch chef Ali Ahmad Beydoun create dishes such as foul modammas, cooked fava beans and chick peas; chicken or lamb schwarma, small pieces of meat seasoned with lemon juice, garlic and other spices; and falafel, a spicy combination of bulgur wheat and garbanzo beans, deep-fried until crisp and brown. They are served with a salad and tahini, a traditional sesame seed paste.
Platters feature hummus, a smooth chick pea dip; baba ghannouj, eggplant dip with garlic and olive oil; or fried eggs and potatoes. Prices range from $3.99 to $6.99.
A highlight is the vegetarian platter with spiced, sweet onions, a variety of olives, hummus, baba ghannouj, falafel patties and pita bread for $5.99.
There are sandwiches galore including schish tawouq, ground beef with peas, grilled on a skewer; tongue; lamb brains; and kafta, ground lamb seasoned with parsley and onion; and several vegetarian selections. Prices start at $1.99.
The chef picks fresh veggies from the store to chop for tabbouleh salad - cracked wheat, tomato, parsley and some tart lemon - or a garden salad.
Pita bread to Arabs is like air to the human body, adds Atiyeh. So expect lots of fresh pita for sandwiches and to scoop up the many dips.
For those who love a good gyro, the spicy kafta is freshly packed onto a skewer and grilled before your eyes - unlike the precooked version that many gyro shops refry for each order.
Save room for a trip to the dessert case, filled with traditional pastries made of flaky dough, honey and nuts. And there's always free Turkish coffee or tea.
Dining on a budget
AL-AQSA Restaurant and Grocery
