Alwatan Bakery
Bakery · Bridgeview ·
Fresh pita, mu'jinat, ka'ik, and savory meat pies
Fresh pita, mu'jinat, ka'ik, and savory meat pies
"On an average day at Alwatan you’ll see customers buying several bags of fresh pita bread, with the enticing smells encasing the entire building. Besides fresh pita, they specialize in mu’jinat, savory baked goods made with dough, including mana’eesh (za’tar bread sometimes with cheese), akras (wheat fritters), and sfiha (flatbread with meat). Another highlight at Alwatan is the ka’ik: airy bread covered densely in sesame seeds, a popular staple sold on street carts in Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Make it a meal by trying it with some of the bakery’s falafel. Alwatan also sells tea biscuits that are crunchy and slightly sweet, with anise and ma’amoul." - Nylah Iqbal Muhammad
"Alwatan is a Bridgeview classic because it features such an extensive menu of mu’jinat, an expansive genre of savory baked goods made with dough including mana’eesh (za’tar bread), akras (wheat fritters), and sfiha (flatbread with meat). The white cheese and za’tar man’eesh come in all of the classic varieties (including what’s often called “cocktail” — a mix of cheese and za’tar). But another reason to go to Alwatan is for its ka’ik: an airy bread covered densely in sesames and typically sold from carts on the streets of Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Related distantly to the Turkish simit (circular bread with a hole), ka’ik can come in different forms (shaped like a long-oval, or like a football) and is eaten on its own (or with salt, za’tar, ful (fava beans), or whatever else you have on hand). A piece of ka’ik and some of Alwatan’s excellent falafel makes a meal in itself. Watan also sells tea biscuits that are crunchy and slightly sweet, with anise and ma’amoul." - N.A. Mansour
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