
Photograph by Fevziie via Adobe Stock
Eid al-Adha, one of the two major Islamic festivals, will be celebrated in the U.S. starting Friday, June 6. The festival that traditionally spans three days marks the commemoration of sacrifice, with practicing Muslims offering ritual sacrifice of cattle, followed by the customary sharing of meat within the community. Here are some halal dishes that you can enjoy at local eateries to experience the diverse flavors of Eid al-Adha in and around the Queen City this weekend.
Shish Kabob at Alzaytuna Grill
While Alzaytuna Grill offers all of the traditional Middle Eastern dishes—from hummus to falafel to various Arabian sandwiches—its kabobs remain the most sought-after item on Eid menus. We recommend getting a platter to try its various kabobs, but the “must have” is the shish kabob. The cubes of grilled meat on skewers go well with rice and are available in both beef and lamb versions. 3425 Princeton Rd., Hamilton, (513) 737-2000
Kafta Kabob at Gyrolicious
Gyrlicious in Anderson Township merges traditional Middle Eastern cuisine with Greek flavors, and the kabob platters are second to none. You must try the kafta kabobs, available also in chicken, but it is beef that offers the taste of Eid al-Adha. While the eatery specializes in meat-focused gyros, it also offers platters for those adhering to a vegetarian diet with falafel and cauliflower gyros. 6665 Salem Rd., Anderson Twp., (513) 214-7545
Shawarma at Symphony Mediterranean Grill
The competition for the best shawarma in the city is intense, but Symphony puts forth a strong case. The shawarma—which is available in a beef version on the weekends—comes with a generous serving of potato fries and the deliciously rich garlic and Cajun sauces making this wrap a filling meal to complement barbecued or grilled meat that you might have elsewhere. 7100 Foundry Row #254, Liberty Twp.; 2028 Florence Mall, Florence, (859) 371-3715
Halal Steaks at SOB Steakhouse
Steaks are among the popular when it comes to cooked meat, but it can be incredibly hard to find a halal version in the U.S. That’s where SOB (Son of a Butcher) Steakhouse comes in. It has a range of halal-certified steaks, including ribeye, NY strip, porterhouse, filet mignon, and prime rib. For the customers’ convenience, all halal options have been marked “(H)” on the menu. 7630 Gibson St., Ste. 110, Liberty Twp., (513) 597-8325
Korma at Dusmesh
The Queen City is truly blessed with eateries offering South Asian dishes from the Indian subcontinent, a majority of which have halal menus. Dusmesh Indian Restaurant quite possibly has the widest range of subcontinental lamb and goat gravies in town, ranging from the rogan josh from Kashmir, the kadai widely eaten in Pakistan, the Goan specialty vindaloo, and the Punjabi flavors merging the meat with chickpeas and spinach in chhole and saag curries. It is perhaps the korma, which has meat blended with cream, cashews, and raisins that is the most prevalent on Eid al-Adha dinner tables across the subcontinent. 944 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 221-8900
Biryani at Hyderabad House
No South Asian Eid celebration is complete without biryani, a traditional dish from the region that blends curry with rice. There are more than 30 varieties of biryani across the subcontinent, many of which can be found at Hyderabad House. The one that stands out, fittingly, is the dum biryani from the Hyderabad town of India, which has layers of curry buried in rice and is served in a traditional pot. (The goat dum biryani from Hyderabad is the G.O.A.T. of biryanis.) 11963 Lebanon Rd, Sharonville, (513) 956-5678
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