If you want to feel like you are somewhere in Morocco or Tunisia without leaving Chicago, head to 1240 West Randolph Street, where the Alhambra Palace restaurant is located. This place is astounding. As you step in through the restaurant's huge decorativly carved gates you feel like you are stepping into a palace that is straight out of Arabian nights with its vibrant colors (especially red because "alhambra" means red), mosaic tiles, intricately designed furniture that create a luscious, exotic, and intoxicating sensual experience. The place is absolutely huge. It seats 450 people and has a bar upstairs with a lounge. There is a stage in the middle and a dance floor and a belly dancing show entertain the audience every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday starting at 10 p.m. Yesterday, when we went there were flamenco dancers that were seriously good and after the belly dancer some really cool Middle-Eastern singers kept the audience on their feet. The food was good but the quantities are enormous. We should have simply ordered mezzes(smaller, tapas style dishes) and one or two main plates. To complete the evening one must order a hookah (a water pipe that allows you to smoke herbal fruits and tobacco) which is fun even for the non-smokers like me. Go to this place you won't regret it.
picture from Alhambra's website
Sunday, December 2, 2007
The Alhambra Palace: where east meets west
If you want to feel like you are somewhere in Morocco or Tunisia without leaving Chicago, head to 1240 West Randolph Street, where the Alhambra Palace restaurant is located. This place is astounding. As you step in through the restaurant's huge decorativly carved gates you feel like you are stepping into a palace that is straight out of Arabian nights with its vibrant colors (especially red because "alhambra" means red), mosaic tiles, intricately designed furniture that create a luscious, exotic, and intoxicating sensual experience. The place is absolutely huge. It seats 450 people and has a bar upstairs with a lounge. There is a stage in the middle and a dance floor and a belly dancing show entertain the audience every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday starting at 10 p.m. Yesterday, when we went there were flamenco dancers that were seriously good and after the belly dancer some really cool Middle-Eastern singers kept the audience on their feet. The food was good but the quantities are enormous. We should have simply ordered mezzes(smaller, tapas style dishes) and one or two main plates. To complete the evening one must order a hookah (a water pipe that allows you to smoke herbal fruits and tobacco) which is fun even for the non-smokers like me. Go to this place you won't regret it.
picture from Alhambra's website
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment