A "LITTLE BENGAL" in Arlington?

Aladdin
5169, Lee Highway,
Arlington, VA.

Haleem

If you are looking for Bengali dining options beyond Gharer Khabar, you might consider Aladdin. Located in the same strip mall as Gharer Khabar, I initially wondered why two restaurants catering to the same ethnic base would choose to locate next to each other. However, after trying both, it became clear that the two restaurants offer two different dining experiences. In short, while Aladdin, with its fairly spacious space, wins with respect to ambience, Gharer Khabar takes the prize in terms of food.

A platter of dishes

That said, Aladdin's wide-ranging menu had some bright spots. One of my favorite items (which was, incidently, not offered by Gharer Khabar) was the Haleem. It was spicy and would cater to a Asian palate. Contrary to Tyler Cowen, I thought the rest of the dishes we got including the goat curry, shrimp curry, and the biryani, were mediocre for the price we had to pay. Moreover, the amount of oil didn't help either. 

I can see why Aladdin chose to locate close to the Bengal market, but in terms of quality of food, it has a ways to go in terms of executing its menu in order to catch up to Gharer Khabar. However, your taste buds might say otherwise.