aldar bistro

aldar bistro
281 montgomery avenue
bala cynwyd, pa
(610) 667 1245
www.aldarbistro.com

type of cuisine: middle eastern
culinary excellence: 6
vegan friendliness: 5

well, i knew i would miss the olive vine when i moved far away from brooklyn... and after 3 years, i still do. here in the suburbs of philly, there is nothing even comparable to their fine fine felafel sandwiches, unless you want to ride down to south street, and even then it's not the same. but when felafel is needed in a fast way, aldar's is a reasonable substitute. their pita is not fluffy homemade perfection, but the balls themselves are nicely spiced and dolloped with the right amount of tahini. if you're looking for a side order, both the regular fries and the sweet fries are excellent. other vegan options include the simple but pleasing grilled veggie appetizer, stuffed grape leaves and mousaka, a satisfying combo of eggplant, chickpeas, onions and tomatoes. i used to wish there weren't always televisions on in the restaurant, but not anymore, my friends, not anymore.