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For Ali Alboufradi it is simple – customers come into Taj Ali Middle Eastern Restaurant because they like the food.
As owner and manager of the south Lincoln eatery, Alboufradi is responsible for satisfying those diners as well as preparing the food they consume.
A native Iraqi, Alboufradi came to the United States in 1997. With a friend already living in Lincoln, he found employment in a variety of areas including manufacturing, discount and general retail.
But Alboufradi wanted his own store. In 2011, he opened Alfpirat Grocery near 27th and Holdrege streets, featuring Middle Eastern foods and products. One of the grocery’s staff members, Ali Al-Basam, was a former chef. The pair started talking about opening a restaurant, and in 2021 they opened the first Taj Ali on North 17th Street near the UNL City Campus.
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The next year, the south Taj Ali opened with Alboufradi as owner/manager and Al-Basa running the north store.
But, as with many smaller businesses, employees assume multiple responsibilities. At the south Taj Ali, Alboufradi was also needed as the chef, while he had no experience cooking. With Al-Basam’s expertise and training and Alboufradi’s willingness to learn, Alboufradi added being a proficient chef to his duties.
The menu for both Taj Ali restaurants are the same with the recipes and dish preparation coming from Al-Basam’s family recipes and others he has gathered over the years. According to Alboufradi, all of Taj Ali’s meat is halal (permissible for Islamics).
Customers order at the counter and from two large boards behind the counter listing the available items. There are nine Plate options including Chicken Shawarma, Beef Shawarma, Beef Kebab, Chicken Kebab and Chicken Tikka at $16.99; Gyro at $14.99; Falafel or Shawarma SAJ at $13.99; and Lamb Tikka at $20.99.
Sandwiches are $10.99 for Kebab, Gyro, Beef Shawarma, Chicken Shawarma or Chicken Tikka, and $9.99 for Falafel or Cheese Burger and fries.
Eight dishes are listed under the Specials category: Beef and Chicken Kebab ($16.99); Taj Ali Combo for two people (beef and chicken kebab, chicken tikka, chicken shawarma, hummus, gyro, pita, veggies and rice, $35.99); Family Platter for three (beef and chicken kebab, rice, gyro, chicken tikka, chicken shawarma and veggies, $55.99); Family Platter for six (beef and chicken kebab, rice, gyro, chicken tikka, chicken and beef shawarma, falafel and veggies, $70.99); Lamb Shank ($20.99); Borek Plate (flakey dough with savory filling, $13.99); Dolma Plate (grape leaves stuffed with rice, meat and herbs, $13.99); and Kuba Plate (spicy beef pie, $16.99).
A bowl of bean, lentil, spinach, eggplant or okra soup costs $6.99.
Alboufradi said that customers say many items on the menu are the best, “but probably the favorite is the Chicken Tikka Plate.”
The small, minimalist interior of the south Taj Ali is colorful and crisply clean with the lunch crowd including business people and area workers, while for dinner the patrons are families and people on dates.
Almost shyly, Alboufradi reiterates his comment about why people are repeat customers. “They liked the food … and they come for more than just one time. They come back more and become regulars.”