Drive down FM 1097 in Willis, Texas and you’ll see orange cones, concrete barricades, lane changes, and flaggers. This stretch of road has been under construction for several years and businesses like Aladdin Kebab House are feeling the effects. “I’ve lost 70 percent of my lunch business.” Mike Imran explained to me as we sat in his empty dining room on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
He explained how customers used to flow in, and his business, established in 2022, was thriving-until the construction started. Now, his customers have to sit in long lines, with flaggers stopping traffic, and deal with rough and confusing roads that have been rerouted and barricaded off. They only drive down FM 1097 if they absolutely have to, and they certainly aren’t thinking about great Pakistani food while they’re there.
Mike owned a car wash, but like so many others, it shut down during Covid. After taking a couple of years off, Mike and his wife, Nasreen, were driving down FM 1097 and saw a for lease sign on a space in a shopping center. He asked Nasreen what she thought about sharing their food with the people of their community.
They had no previous restaurant experience or knowledge of how to cook in that capacity. Thankfully, Mike’s nephew owns a restaurant, and they spent some time working in it to learn how to prep food, adjust recipes, and cook on a large scale.
They opened their doors in September of 2022, serving Pakistani, Indian, and Mediterranean foods that his family loved. Rich flavors, spice levels that accommodate many palettes, and bright seasonings mark their dishes as perfect for a wide range of customers.
We started the tasting with the hummus and bread. Creamy, slightly nutty hummus, drizzled
with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika. The bread was a cross between naan and a phyllo dough; hearty and sturdy like naan, but flaky and layered like phyllo. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask what it was.
The chicken corma was tender chicken pieces that had been braised in a creamy, lightly spiced, curry sauce. It was a comforting dish that I couldn't stop myself from dipping the naan in. The flavorful basmati rice was also lightly spiced with cumin and other flavors, and when I plunged a spoonful into the curry the flavors melded together perfectly. The combo was served with a side of soft chickpeas in a smooth, spicy curry.
Many times when people think of Indian food, they think of extremely hot, and it can be, but Mike was aware that not all of their customers liked that level of heat. One of the dishes that he adjusted the level on was the butter chicken. He marinates the chicken in a house-crafted blend of yogurt and spices, then simmers the chicken in a velvety tomato-based sauce. It was a luscious sauce with the perfect heat level and fall apart-tender chicken chunks. The butter chicken was served with basmati rice on the side (which I obviously had to put a big scoop of on top of the sauce) and a bowl of the chickpeas too.
They brought out regular naan and garlic naan. Both were a perfect delivery device for all of the scoopable pieces and sauces.
The tandoori kebab pocket was a fun and delicious, finger food situation. A beef kebab, seasoned and grilled, then wrapped in naan dough, and baked in the tandoori oven. When it came out, hot and crispy, it was brushed with oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs to brighten up every bite.
The beef gyro wrap was a combination of tender beef and lamb, wrapped up in warm naan, along with crisp lettuce and tomatoes. Served with a dish of cool tziki to drizzle on top and a pile of hot fries. The symbiosis of all of the textures and flavors, and the addition of the tziki made this my favorite dish of the day.
If you’re looking for a great little spot to find the most flavorful food, take the backroads to Aladdin Kebab House in Willis, Texas. Say hi to Mike and Nasreen for me and make sure to tell all your friends about them. You’ll be glad you did!
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13721 FM 1097, Willis, TX 77318
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