The grilled meat skewers at Azima are deliciously moreish. Photo: Azima.
Lebanese restaurant Azima opened on City Walk earlier this year, and it’s already become a popular destination.
Arriving late on a Thursday evening, the restaurant was packed full of friends and family enjoying shared plates of food, and the smell of the grill wafted gently from the kitchen.
Diners can choose from the a la carte options or pick a banquet to experience the full range of dishes on offer. My friend and I initially thought we might try The Azima – a $90 pp banquet featuring a wide range of options – but our server gently suggested that unless we were exceptionally hungry, The Classic ($70 pp) was better suited for a table of two. We took his advice and perused the drinks list.
The Classic banquet for two starts with a plate of delicious dips and herby tabouli salad. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The wine list has a strong focus on Lebanese wines, with over a dozen on offer by the bottle and a handful by the glass. There was also a good range of Australian and international drops, with a wide price range.
We were interested in tasting some Lebanese wines, and we were offered a taste of the Rose which was quite punchy and flavourful. My friend ordered a glass, and I went for a Viognier, Vermentino, Chardonnay blend from the Bekka Valley (Lebanon’s main winemaking area). It was nicely acidic with some oaky depth and a nice match for the meal that followed.
Our banquet started with a selection of cold mezze. Homos, baba ganouj and mouhamara (a roasted capsicum and walnut dish) were served with a herby tabouli salad, and fresh and fried pita bread, dusted moreishly with za’atar (thyme and sesame spice blend). The dips at Azima are top-notch: absolutely delicious. I would honestly have been satisfied just eating these all evening.
The tabouli salad at Azima is parsley-heavy and accented with onion and pomegranate arils. Photo: Azima.
This was followed closely by the hot mezze: falafel, meat sambosek (pastry parcels), and fried kibbeh. Kibbeh is a dish made from spiced bulgur wheat and usually mince (although there are also vegetarian options). Shaped into a pointed oval, these snacks have a range of different flavourings and are sometimes even served raw, such as kibbeh nayyeh. This lamb tartare-like option is on the menu at Azima if you’d like to try something different, but our kibbeh dish had been fried. It was deliciously well-spiced and very tasty, with the accompanying tarator tahini sauce and zingy pickled vegetables. The falafel was perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
At first, I was apathetic about being served chips as part of this entree, but dipping them in the garlicky toum sauce was so delicious. I tried to restrain myself from going overboard as this was just the beginning of our meal, and I didn’t want to fill up too soon!
The next course was grilled skewers of meat, which had smelled so tantalising earlier.
I had a shish tawook marinated chicken skewer, which was super tender and moist, and perfectly charred. The marinade contained yoghurt, and as my friend is dairy-free, the kitchen staff swapped in a lahme mishwee skewer of lamb and onion. We both had lamb kafta, which had delicious cinnamon and sumac spices. I enjoyed taking the leftover pita bread and homos from the starter to make a mini wrap.
We definitely struggled to finish all the meat, and there was still a little bit of dip and salad left at the end. The server was right to advise us not to go for the larger banquet meal!
Azima is best enjoyed as a banquet with friends: bring a hearty appetite! Photo: Azima.
As the desserts on offer all contained dairy, the kitchen made a fresh fruit salad for my friend, and I decided between a selection of baklava and a rice pudding.
Controversially, I usually find baklava a little too sickly sweet, so I opted for the rice pudding (despite how full I was feeling) and I’m glad I did. Surprisingly light, the creamy rose-scented rice was topped with strands of Persian fairy floss and crunchy pistachio praline. I wasn’t able to finish the serving, but it was delicious nonetheless.
I’d love to return to Azima with a larger group of friends to taste more of what the menu has to offer. The food was delicious and good value, with such large portions.
If you’re dining at Azima, bring your friends and your appetite: you’ll need them!
Azima is located at 222 City Walk, Canberra. They are open from 11:30 am to 10 pm daily. Book online, or follow Azima on Facebook or Instagram.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Riotact.
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