Situated between Panera and Chipotle, this franchising Aladdin's eatery has seemed to shrug its shoulders and said, "what the hell, we'll embrace the whole cooperate thing." The dining area is painted a mature array of earthy tones, reminiscent of a Starbucks. Patterned maroon carpet, which makes its way into most highway hotels, covers the floor. New and "worldly" bamboo umbrellas hang at different lengths from the ceiling; air conditioning blasts at full power; and a pane of glass with stalks of wheat embedded in it—perhaps borrowed from their bread-making neighbor—separates the pleather booths that line the mirrored wall.

Despite having the atmosphere equivalent of white bread, Aladdin's take on Middle Eastern cuisine did not disappoint. The succulent rolled shawarma, with fresh tomato, pickles, turnips, tahini sauce and a generous spicing of parsley, tasted delightful. The chatty orange-skinned woman sitting next to me looked at my plate and told me I was eating a low-carb dish…I guess that's a good thing. My vegetarian counterparts savored the fresh, crispy and not too oily falafel. The blueberry smoothie, while refreshing, tasted sickly sweet with an overdose of honey overwhelming the fruit.

Most meals cost less than $10, and the quick service means you could be in and out in less than 15 minutes. Since I am more of a penny-pincher than an aura aficionado, I'll be back. But next time, I plan to sit on the small sidewalk dining area.

Centerstage Reviewer: Maude Standish