First I was like :)
Then I was like :P
And then I was like :D
On the recommendations of several friends, Therese and I finally made our way out to the Outer Richmond Wednesday night to try Aziza, apparently the standard bearer for Moroccan/Mediterranean cuisine. For the both of us, this was our third Dine about Town this month, and, unlike One Market, this place more than lives up to the hype. Everything about this place oozed with appeal; the decor, the lighting, the service and food presentation were all impeccable. It didn't hurt either that this was one of very few nights that it wasn't raining buckets. Seriously, I wish all Wednesday nights could be like this.
Between the two of us, we split two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts, and there wasn't a single miss among them.
lima beans, feta, bread crumbs, oregano
Remember back in the day when we all refused to eat lima beans? These were no ordinary lima beans, no no. This was served casserole style, baked in a tomato sauce with feta cheese and topped with crispy bread crumbs. I'm not much of a fan of feta (particularly goat cheese feta), though to each their own. The bread crumbs were unexpected but not at all unpleasant. But the beans, man oh man were they good. And gigantic, too. The beans were tender but not mushy, and had absorbed all of the wonderful flavors of the sauce. If they were served like this, I'd have eaten them all day, every day. Initially I was hesitant to order this, but I'm absolutely sold.
meatballs, grape, jícama, herb vinaigrette
Yup, those are grapes, not cherry tomatoes, which I first thought they were. And it works oh so well. Loved the spices in the meatball. Small, but well cooked, moist, and packed with flavor. The jícama, which is normally fairly bland, was seasoned well, yet maintained the same refreshing taste.
couscous, chicken, prawn, lamb sausage, vegetables
For someone completely accustomed to eating rice, rice and more rice, the grains of couscous were a wonderful change. They were fluffy, cooked well and were still slightly chewy with a little pop, which Therese said was like munching on sacks of roe. The trio of meats was a great idea, with red meat and seafood and poultry (oh my!). If anything, the chicken was just a touch overdone, but that's really stretching to find something that I didn't like about the meal. The shrimp and sausage were grilled to perfection.
Ah, yes, this was without a doubt my favorite. I can only assume that this was painstakingly slow roasted over hours and hours. The meat fell right off the bone, no need for a knife, and melted in your mouth like butter. Unlike most lamb that I've previously had, this wasn't gamy at all, and had I known better, I'd have even mistaken it for beef. Either way, it was fantastic. It was served over barley and cranberries and with a prune on the side. A great mixture of sweet and savory flavors.
Passionfruit and pistachios aren't two things that I'd normally associate together, but for some reason, it works! Two layers of a light and soft ice cream, with a layer of pistachios in between, topped with cherries and a passionfruit sauce. Considering how generous the appetizer and entree portions were, I was happy to have something that wasn't so heavy. It was very beautifully presented, in a way that these dark pictures can't fully justify.
sesame mousse, cocoa spice cake, and cranberry coulis
Sesame isn't something I normally see in American desserts, though it's used heavily in a lot of sweet asian goodies. In that sense, there was a kind of familiarity with the flavors of this dessert, yet it was still innovative and delicous. And like above, very beautifully presented. Feast with your eyes, so they say. I did like that it wasn't too sweet, and had a slight crunch from the sesame. A bit of a tossup between which dessert I liked better.
Great company, great food, great atmosphere. It doesn't get any better than this.
Total with tax and tip, $45. Worth every penny.
------------------------
5800 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
No comments:
Post a Comment