It was Friday afternoon, and while most people were eagerly anticipating the impending Valentine’s Day festivities, the last thing that I needed was to be reminded that such a bitter, abhorrent and displeasing holiday actually exists. I greeted Friday with an unwelcoming sneer, and while I groaned from class to class on this particularly uninviting and frosty day, the only thing that I could possibly look forward to was getting to wallow in my self-pity while enjoying one of the best possible aphrodisiacs. Yes, you guessed it. A fabulous, delectable meal. Of course this is my solution to almost any problem: forget all your worries and have some good, hearty food with some friends.
And so, with this exact thought in mind, I made my way down to Collegetown for a little escape from the insolent temperatures and even more inclement Valentine’s Day brouhaha. My destination was a restaurant on Dryden, Aladdin’s Natural Eatery. A hop, skip and a jump from central campus, it’s a great location for anyone looking to have a quick meal.
As I was literally blown into the restaurant, (I nearly toppled over onto the floor coming through the door) I saw my friends waiting for me and I took a look around at the atmosphere before we sat down. The restaurant has a very simple but comfortable and cheerful style. Stairs lead up to a room with a handful of tables, while the front room displays desserts and caters to the take-out crowd. It mimics a small caf