In the beginning of the 20th Century, a large Syrian population settled in the 6th Ward, between the Lehigh River and Jordan Creek. While the Ward is mostly no longer the residential home to that demographic, there remain purveyors of their ethnic food.
While Elias Market at Front and Tilghman is not exclusively Middle Eastern, they carry a large selection of those foodstuffs. At 2nd and Liberty, Damascus Restaurant has been serving delicious food for decades. Aladdin Restaurant, which also started on 2nd Street, is just across the Tilghman Street Bridge on Union Blvd. Another source of delicious food is the ACI Turkish Restaurant & Market, shown above at 2nd and Linden Streets.
This short post is not inclusive of all available options, but rather some of those in the 6th Ward. Likewise, I have no expertise on the differences between Syrian, Lebanese and Turkish food, but I can strongly recommend all the establishments mentioned above.
Damsacus' Restaurant is a treasure, but I have to admit that in the many years (decades) going there, it is only since Covid that I find the area concerning from a safety perspective. Last couple of trips it seems their business has been impacted despite the continued quality of their food. Thus, we have not frequented as often.
ReplyDeleteanon@8:51: My only issue with 2nd St. is the double parking. This is a failure of the police department throughout center city.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking the lack of police, both enforcement and presence, is intentional and the desired results have been, and will be, forthcoming. In our neighborhood, we don't even bother to call any more... why be told they are too busy or have "more important" problems, as if they only have a few officers... people, we're not in Podunk!!!
ReplyDeleteI always like to ask this question when I see a comment like this: how many police officers do you believe are actively patrolling at any given time? Not detectives, undercovers, Admin…..actual patrol officers who respond to calls. I think people typically overestimate by a lot.
DeleteAnon 11:33 replying to 2:44... If you want to know how many officers are out there, note how they appear like flies on poop for no good reason, and how many MORE appear when there is a REAL reason. I KNOW as I have WITNESSED it and personally feel it's beyond silly how many show up to "cheerlead". We have a fine force, but please, spread yourselves out. On a different note, I have witnessed a blasting stereo NEXT to a cruiser and red light runners in front of a cruiser with no repercussions... but the fact that they show up en masse for (what I consider) minor problems seriously annoys me and my neighbors. Rant over.
DeleteDon’t forget Soumaya & Sons Bakery on Fullerton Avenue in Whitehall. Purveyor of Middle Eastern delights.
ReplyDelete2:44 - Are you trying to imply that the police don’t see problems (like double parking), or that if they do they NEVER have the time to stop and write a citation? If I can see multiple instances of double parking in my brief trips downtown each day, surely an officer is seeing more of the same thing during an 8-hour patrol shift each day.
ReplyDeleteSo I don’t think that the issue is how many police are on patrol. It’s that there are obviously things that they simply ignore (like double parking, loud music, littering, etc.). That is not to say that it’s each officer’s individual decision, or their fault alone.
For instance, (again) with the double parking issue MM mentioned, there’s surely been a decision by the political and police leadership (or both) in the city to ignore it. That probably made sense at one time, but the issue’s gotten to the point where it needs more of a focus again.
How would you fix it? First, the Mayor and City Council would call attention to the problem and let residents know that double parking is illegal for a variety of reasons and isn’t going to be tolerated. The police chief would back that up with statements about how the police will now enforce the laws on double parking. The city would have police target problem areas, and the city might likewise coordinate with the Parking Authority to address the issue. People would quickly realize that they can’t do this and the problem would get better.
Unfortunately, those in City Hall apparently don’t see the problem or don’t believe it needs to be addressed.
I'm not hosting any further comments on police responses or lack thereof.
ReplyDelete