Ali Baba's Time Out Deli : a review

For the middle eastern food fan stuck here in Big Orange Country...aka: Knoxville, TN, we can offer you several options. One of my favorites is Ali Baba's off of Kingston Pike between Cedar Bluff and Gallaher View. One of the best falafels I have had outside of the middle east itself can be found here. They also have an entire vegetarian menu. Many of those items can also be classified as vegan. The veggie sandwhich is supposed to be pretty good but my favorite by far is the falafel pita. He steams the pita and stuffs it full of freshly homemade falafels, seconds out of the fryer. Then he tops it with lettuce and tomato. Finally, a drizzle of some of the yummiest tahini sauce finishes this delectable pita. The creamy sauce makes you think it has to have dairy, but it is completely vegan. You can also request other veggies such as pickles or his very own homemade olives. The warm, soft, pita and fresh, crispy falafel balls make this one of the best pitas you can get in K-town.
For those who are not so into the veggie thing, he also offers a variety of steamed deli sandwhiches which are often kosher as well. This place appears to be a little hole in the wall joint, but believe me, the run down building hides a jewel of middle eastern fare in Knoxville. There is also a little market in the deli with a bit of halal and kosher food choices and jars full of his homemade olives, fresh goat cheeses, medjool dates, and other staples of the middle eastern diet.