Tandoori Chicken
If you have been living in a cave or box for the past few months then you might not have heard of Alibaba. This restaurant holds a very special place in my heart. I'm sure many of you probably checked it out during the 50% discount. I went for 10 straight days. It was like brushing my teeth. 6 O'clock? Time for Alibaba. Not only is this by far the best Indian restaurant in Changwon (perhaps even Gyeongnam,) it also has one of the best locations and atmospheres of any place I know. The 50% discount was great. The already reasonable prices were slashed as an opening promotion. It was like an early Christmas present, but just as good as one you wait all year for!
Alibaba is located on the same corner as Coldstone in Sangnamdong. It is very easy to find. The sign is red with white lettering and clearly spells out Alibaba. Alibaba is a two floor establishment. The ground floor has seating for four people at each table while the second floor has tables that can be combined. The most people I have gone with is around 15. The decor in Alibaba is what really makes it far ahead of the others. It has an authentic Middle-Eastern feel and the atmosphere does not disappoint. If you are seated on the ground floor, the ceilings are high, very high. This is a nice change of pace from a majority of places where low ceilings are accompanied by floor sitting. For the record, I enjoy both. 온돌(Ondol...Korean floor heaters) make me super happy.
The tables all have glass tops and on the top floor the menu is beneath the glass. There are decorative lights that are hanging beautifully from the ceiling, providing ambiance to the entire room. This is really a great date place. The top floor is secluded enough to have private conversations. It is also a great place for a big or small group.
Now that we have discussed the decor....let me go onto the reason why this place is so far ahead of everywhere else. The food. Simply put, I have been in a heavenly comatose state of 인도요리(Indoyoli-Indian Cuisine) perfection. I can say with full confidence I have never had better Indian food. The Chicken is tender, the Naan is perfect, the Lassi is delicious, the Samosas are impeccable. If you want Indian food done right, check this place out! (한번해봐!)
Chicken Roganjosh (Curry)
The prices are reasonable. The menu has less to offer than Taj Mahal (same owner by the way,) but it makes up for it in being so great at making what is on the menu. Their idea at Aliba
ba is to cater more to the Korean crowd, but that just makes everything about it even better. The staff is very friendly! (You get to know them when you go there for 10 straight days.) The main waiter speaks English very well and the owner himself speaks fluently in English as well as Korean.
An average meal here of curry and naan will cost you around 15-18,000원 which is really excellent if you understand how expensive other restaurants can be. There are also set menu options that provide two currys, two naans, and two lassis for under 35,000원.
Butter Naan
This is one of the only places where if you asked me what was wrong with it, I would say, "Well, it could have been open sooner!"Pros
- Excellent food.
-Excellent staff.
-Excellent decor.
-Excellent everything.
Cons
-I really can't think of any. It gets cold sometimes, but that isn't their fault. Korean winters are harsh!
Directions:
-Alibaba is located right across from Coldstone in Sangnamdong. It is easy to find if you know how to get to Coldstone. Coldstone is right next to the SK gas station, which is right next to the 야구장 (go ahead and try to beat my punching machine score!) It is very close to the city center so it is not very difficult to find. 경상남도 창원시 상남동 5-5
