Category: | Grocery Store |
Address: | 9307 Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78240, USA |
Phone: | +1 210-691-1111 |
Site: | alibabasanantonio.com |
Rating: | 4.3 |
Working: | 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–10PM |
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James Lowe
Ali Baba has a good selection of Middle Eastern and Indian food items. Theres always something interesting, especially for people like me, who in the past have not been familiar with a lot of aspects of those cuisines. I recently discovered a tamarind and basil seed drink that tasted like watermelon: delicious. The staff are pretty nice, and unlike at the store across the highway, I didnt feel uncomfortable and out of place inside. There are a lot of customers who arent Indian or Middle Easters, so theres no need to feel uncomfortable if you arent either. Id be remiss if I didnt mention their freshly baked pitas and how great they are. They have three sizes of standard pitas and they also come in whole wheat, if thats your thing. Their Iraqi bread is thicker and also really good. With a little salt it tastes like a pretzel. There are some other options as well, each with its own purpose. And since its baked fresh every day, if you get there at the right time it will still be warm. The only complaints I would mention are that they dont have much selection of hummus (presumably most customers make their own) and that they dont always have the same items the next time you come. So if you find something you like, you might not be able to find it again. I once got a frozen palak paneer (spinach curry with cheese cubes) that was great, with just the right level of spice. But I havent seen that same one since. There have been others, but never quite as good. But thats the risk of a place that lets you explore different options. So come in, explore, and try things. You wont be disappointed. Recipes are helpful for newcomers to know what they are looking for, but they are not completely necessary.
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Heather Galvas
Like a few others have said, if youre not of a similar race or especially if youre a woman, most of them treat you *very* disrespectfully. I actually was checking out and this huge (tall and husky) Arabic man was friendly toward the Arabic couple who went through the line right before me. When I went through he never said a word. He didnt look at me once. After he scanned all my products he held out his hand for my payment while looking the other direction. I gave him my card. He scanned it, reached it back toward me. I grabbed it to take it back and he wouldnt let go **still** not looking at me. I let go since he wouldnt release the card and he pulled it back toward himself. A bit later he reached it back toward me again and let me take it. He never looked at me once. His body was turned away, too. After I got my card and groceries, he greeted the next person in line - - a person who looked of Arabic descent. Horribly racist there. Ive met with a couple nice people who help me, calling me "sister" as they do. Unfortunately, that husky man is often there to check you out and is sure to make you feel completely unwelcome if youre a woman or white or both. And many of the other employees Ive encountered are not welcoming. They would stare at me some when they pass, but they never smile or greet me or ask if I need anything. Like the other gentleman said, I feel judged when Im there.
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S Napier
Originally, I really liked Ali Baba. They have halal meat, a nice selection of international foods, and they did have decent prices. With that said, since their expansion, the closure of Salam International Market, and Ramadan season, prices have skyrocketed. I understand the need to raise prices a bit, (their expansion was massive), but to price gouge during Ramadan, seems to be against the reason for the season. In addition, their veggies are hit and miss...sometimes they are great, and sometimes they have such high levels of pesticides, (despite washing/peeling), they are inedible. In addition, most of the staff and the patrons are very rude, but some of what you perceive as them being rude, is simply their culture, (while some of it is sheer lack of manners). In addition, as they are really the only show in town, they dont have to care. We jokingly call this the store that treats you like family....if you are the red haired, fatherless, step-child. Despite this, it is a great store to visit, as they have things you wont find anywhere else. Just be price savvy when you go in, put on your thick skin, and try to enjoy the cultural experience for what it is.
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Manly Matt Schulman
What a find! San Antonio is all about Mexican (and other Latin American) culture, but of course many other ethnicities and nationalities are present here – and Ali Baba caters to any of them from the Mediterranean region. Wonderful fresh pita, lavash and similar flatbreads are continuously coming out of their ovens, laid out in large trays with steam condensing in the bags. They have, no kidding, an entire aisle of olives of every imaginable description. They have a Halal meat market where you can buy every part of a lamb, as well as other meats. There are SO many spices, cheeses, mixes, cookies, etc. from that part of the world — we spend about half of our time there just picking up unfamiliar packages, making out whatever we can from the label and wondering what the heck this stuff is! We usually purposely buy a few things we cant really figure out otherwise just as a culinary adventure! Also, while this relatively small market would probably never compete with the likes of HEB for most Texans weekly shopping, their prices on the things they offer is quite good, usually better than the mainstream grocery chains.
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Timothy Riley
I have been shopping at Ali Babas for 12 years. I met one of the owners by accident and not knowing who he was I asked him if he knew where I could get some Halal lamb. He smiled and said, yes, Ali Babas. Back then it was a relatively small store but it is since grown into one of the largest Halal markets that I have ever seen. They not only prepare their own natural lamb but they have a bakery that delivers often and you can even see the steam in the packages. However it is the people of Alibabas that are the real treasure. Both of the owners recognize me, remember me and treat me like a friend even though it had been over a year since I had been there (I have lived in various parts of the country due to business). They are a true gem in the San Antonio grocery shopping world. Ethnic food brings with it not only great taste but great culture. Alibaba preserves both.
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Gaurav Kumar
This store sells Middle eastern and Indian food. The section for Indian items is very extensive and so is for Middle eastern food. They sell green veggies and meat to meet the taste of Indian and middle east. They sell specialty meat like goat, lamb (No fish). The prices are reasonable compared to similar stores in Austin and San Antonio. The items which may be found in stores like HEB are costlier for almost all items. 1) Green veggies: Freshness: 5/10, Cost: 7/10, Variety: 8/10, Availability: 7/10. 2) Meat: Freshness: 9/10, Cost: 7/10, Variety: 8/10, Availability: 9/10. They accept most cards and cash. Customer service is okay and are helpful: 7/10. The items organized properly (9/10) and prices are labeled okay. Sometimes the labels for prices are missing, but they do a better job than similar stores.