We celebrate our immigrant neighbors at Alwatan

[Robin Garr]

We celebrate our immigrant neighbors at Alwatan

The mujadara at Alwatan is billed as an appetizer but it's a plentiful, entree-size blend of basmati rice and lentils with sensuous Mediterranean spices.


Within hours after taking office on January 20, President Joe Biden moved quickly to sign executive orders make life much better for immigrants and refugees. He halted construction on the border wall, stopped family separation at the border, and pushed for an end to mass deportations.

These good things merit celebration with a meal at an immigrant-owned eatery, so I headed for Alwatan. This little spot, which is operating for takeout only during the pandemic, is owned by Palestinian immigrants. It offers a good variety of Palestinian, pan-Arabic, and Mediterranean food, taking full advantage of fine Mediterranean breads from its sibling bakery next door.

Alwatan’s menu is extensive and affordable, with most dishes under $10 and only a handful of beef or lamb entrees rising to $13.99. It includes a few Palestinian specialties along with a broad range of pan-Mediterranean cuisine.

Fifteen appetizers and eight salads range in price from $3.99 (for falafels, stuffed grape leaves, or some salads) to $10.99 (for a dinner salad topped with lamb gyros meat or a salad combo). Don’t be put off by an appetizer called “foul.” Sometimes spelled “fool,” which isn’t much better, it’s actually a tasty fava bean spread ($5.49) named “fūl” in Arabic.

Other Palestinian appetizer favorites include shakshoka ($8.99, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce); mutabil ($7.99, smoked eggplant with garlic and tahini), and mujadara ($7.99), a delicious mix of rice, lentils, and onions that I’ll tell you more about shortly). ...

Read the complete article on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/immig ... rs-alwatan

You'll also find this review in LEO Weekly's Food & Drink section today.
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

Alwatan Restaurant
3707 Klondike Lane
454-4406
http://alwatanlouisville.com

You had me at Shakshoka (or Shakshuka as I've often seen it)! I became familiar with the dish while peering in on some of the British cooking shows my wife likes to watch. I made a quite tasty rendition of it a couple months ago; I'd like to sample someone else's.

[Robin Garr]

You had me at Shakshoka (or Shakshuka as I've often seen it)! I became familiar with the dish while peering in on some of the British cooking shows my wife likes to watch. I made a quite tasty rendition of it a couple months ago; I'd like to sample someone else's.

Steve, I thought that spelling was non-standard also - maybe their transliteration from the Arabic? - but as a general rule in reviews I use the form on the menu so people won't be confused if they go to the restaurant and see the name on the menu is different from what I wrote.

I do love shakshuka/shakshoka, though, and the spicy Italian version uova in purgatorio, too!

I haven't eaten there in quite some time. But when I did, it was very good. And the fresh bread and other items you can pick up next door make the place all the more valuable to the local food scene.

Doesn't surprise me that there are different spellings. A quick Google search implies there's no certainty about precisely where it originated, with Tunisia being the most likely candidate. I've not had eggs in purgatory, but sounds very similar.

[Robin Garr]

I've not had eggs in purgatory, but sounds very similar.

Yes, I'm sure they have the same Mediterranean roots. The Italian version might not have cumin, or other spice variations, and the Italian model might be a little hotter with red pepper flakes (hence the name), but they're certainly both eggs poached or baked in a flavorful tomato sauce, and that is yummy.