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Category: Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Outer RichmondMon., Wed-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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Aziza is so so so good! It's been a month since I ate here and I still drool thinking about our meal. Rather than getting the prix-fixe and getting way too much food, we ordered 4 small plates and 3 entrees to split amongst three girls which was more than plenty. The small plates definitely stood out in our meal (maybe because we were starving when the food came out) - we got the spreads, pumpkin salad, hen egg and the meatballs.
Our waitress was very helpful with picking out dishes for us and we loved her enthusiasm. Spreads and pumpkin salad were AMAZING! Hen egg was served as a tagine and was very comforting. We ordered the meatballs since it's on the 7x7 must eat list. Unfortunately, I didn't find this dish to be as out of this world delicious as the pumpkin salad but it was still worth trying. For our entrees, we ordered the lamb shank, veggie couscous and duck. I was all over the duck!!! very tender and flavorful. The lamb shank was prepared well and the meat was falling off the bone. Flavor-wise, it was okay but nothing memorable. Couscous was really good but I'm used to mine having more sweeter ingredients in it.
Overall, I enjoyed my meal, the company, and oh yes.. the cocktails. It was so hard to choose from the menu. We tried several and they were all delicious and innovative! who would have thought that scotch and freshly muddled grapes would go so well together?
Finally made my way here earlier this weekend after hearing so many things about this place from people.
Walked into the dimly lit room which was surprisingly empty. The service seemed a little off right off the bat, but I'll get to that in a little bit. We were seated in a little booth and started the night with a little vino.
The food here was amazing! Started with the pita spread and all three were tasty. I don't remember which one I liked more but we cleaned off the plate. Also had the meatball with grapes. I think it was one of the items on the 7x7 list and I guess I can see why. It's not the most amazing meatballs you've ever tasted in your life but its very unique and the grapes add an new dimension of flavor. I had to go with the lamb shank for my entree. Delicious! So moist and packed with flavor. The meat just falls off the bone! My friend had the duck which I definitely had to try. I would recommend ordering that as well if I was feelin' poultry.
After this delicous meal, we sat there for about half an hour. No one checking to see how the meal was going, or ask if we wanted dessert or anything. Strange because there was maybe 3-4 groups there and there has to be more than one server!
Great job chef! Service could use a little help. Hoping it was just an off day for them.
As-Salmu `Alaykum
It sucks hard that we're at war with two prominent countries in the Middle East because, for me, there's no part of this world that I'd rather visit for an other-worldly experience than the realm of Lawrence of Arabia. I can picture myself astride a dromedary, wearing a turban, hookah strapped to me like a camelback and brandishing a kick-ass saif (which I'd use to saber the heads off of infide...I mean, champagne bottles).
Unfortunately, my mother would have a conniption if I told her I was trading NorCal chic for Saudi sheik, and I value her limited sanity just enough to shun the idea of traveling to my promised land.
But the itch won't quit. Mecca still calls to me like a Twilight sequel to a teenage girl, and I won't be able to hold out forever. In the meantime, I scoured Yelp for ideas on how to quell my Arabian wanderlust, and alakazam, up pops Aziza.
WHAT YOU NEED TO (and May Already) KNOW:
1st: Aziza is Moroccan, hence part of the Arab world, but about as close to the Middle East as California is to the Midwest.
2nd: The cuisine is contemporary Moroccan, and Chef Mourad Lahlou does an as-toun-ding job of blending sophistication with tradition. This is evidenced by the ambiance, the service, and most blatantly, the food. A sleek hip bar bifurcates two dining areas, both of which nestle tables in cozy nooks and alcoves, providing an aura of secrecy and seduction. Yalla habibi, baby.
3rd: There are a plethora of dishes on the menu, most intended to be shared. While some are not to be missed, all of them are superb. The aromas and flavors of cumin, turmeric, pepper, and cinnamon permeate the air, and while not exactly the buzz I'd hope to pull from a water pipe, the experience is close to intoxicating.
WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT SHOULD:
1st: The cocktail menu is as valuable as the food and equally as experimental with its exotic flavors, infusions and specialties. Our favorites were the CELERY (sage, agave, celery salt and gin) and the THAI CHILI (lemongrass, chartreuse, mint and gin).
2nd: The service at Aziza is surreptitiously astounding. We were a party of five, and they adjusted the dishes so that we received at least five servings of everything...and we never asked for this, they did it by rote. Further, every dish was brought to us piping hot and accompanied by a description and, occasionally, a recommendation (e.g., get a mouthful of harisa, grape, jícama and meatball at the same time for the full effect, then try each one separately).
3rd: Don't miss desserts from the Pastry Chef, Melissa Chou. Her QUINCE crêpe with apple fritter and ginger ice cream was a luscious compliment to Lahlou's whimsical offerings.
EAT THIS:
Try everything that appeals to you, and a few dishes that you wouldn't ordinarily order. Aziza plucked a Michelin star this year, and it wasn't for naught. Every dish can stand on its own. In our case, we knew to try a BASTEEYA (chicken pie that is sweet and savory), but would have ordinarily skipped a plate of LIMA BEANS, which I can best describe as tasting not at all like lima beans, but more like a bowl of sumptuous Mediterranean pizza toppings mixed with crack.
For our main courses, we were all over the COUCOUS (almost like a paella with its mixture of chicken, prawn and lamb sausage), and it was the lightest, most beautiful preparation of couscous I've ever experienced. We also shared a LAMB SHANK that was served with prunes and cranberries on a bed of barley. The aromas from this dish even made the vegetarian at our table salivate, and she eventually caved. (She took one itty bitty bite, but it didn't miss the mark.)
This restaurant is a diamond in the rough being in the heart of the Richmond district, but it's obviously no secret. Thanks to Yelp, my hankering for an Arabian night was sated...for now. When the Western world can put aside its ethical differences and end the war in the Middle East, maybe I'll be able to live out my Sinbad roll-playing fantasies. Until then, there's Aziza.
And is it any coincidence that the beginnings of diversity bear such semblance to divinity...? I think not.
Wa `Alaykum as-Salaam
I wanted to eat somewhere delicious and chowhounders steered me here. I didn't know until I chose the place that they earned 1 Michelin star for 2010! Food roundup:
- Spreads appetizer: Nicely grilled pita with 3 spreads poquillo, yogurt, and eggplant and balsamic. They guys were all over the poquillo because it tasted like chili con carne or Hormel's chili but super finley ground. Did have a good latin flavor. The eggplant spread was very smooth. Good start, but wish we choose something a little more adventurous.
- Seabass with spot prawn and brown butter couscous: WOW, I haven't had seafood this well cooked and flavorful since Bouley in NYC. The seabass had a shatteringly crisp skin with the flaky fish. The whole spot prawn was delicious and so fresh tasting, like it just came from the ocean. There was a nutty brown butter couscous on the bottom and this amazing carrot sauce. It was creamy and complimented everything perfectly. Portion a bit smaller, but it's a lot of quality seafood in one punch.
- Duck breast: Served 2 ways, one with nice and pink center on the thinly cut breasts pieces (6-8 slices) and then you get large chunk with a nice crust. It was served with couscous and some diced vegetable. This plate definitely was larger than the fish and very good.
- Desserts of chocolate and quince: The chocolate cake was nice and moist, and not too overly sweet like the bf likes it. Came with some ice cream. The quince was really good, wrapped in a little crepe and folded up like a pouch. Came with little tiny round donuts with a piece of diced apple inside. Yummy ice cream too.
Lowdown: Very romantic with dim lighting in the side room. Our server was really nice and excited to explain the menu, but we didn't get explanations of anything when it was brought out. Portions are smaller, you won't get full off an entree alone. Probably need at least two courses, perhaps 3. All the food is very delicious and my apple drink was nice. One of the more more memorable meals I've had in awhile, 4.5!
Based on the Yelp reviews, the Michelin star, and having seen Mourad Lahlou on "Iron Chef," we had great expectations about dinner. Perhpas a little too great. Don't get me wrong, the food was good and the service was fine, but it was not the spectacular experience many people seemed to have had.
We started off with guava/papaya cocktails. They were really good -- very fresh, probably one of the best cocktails we've had and the best thing about our meal. We ordered a beets salad and basteeya as appetizers. The beets salad never came and the basteeya was good. Not spectacular. Then we had the duck and the lamb shank. The duck was good, but we could easily have gotten the same quality of food at a number of restaurants, and Aziza's duck did not stand out. The lamb shank did fall off the bone, but pretty bland. When eaten with the sauce, some bites were heavenly. Overall, however, we thought it was only good. Didn't have dessert because we were stuffed.
May go back if relatives are in town and want Moroccan food. Otherwise, not a favorite.
This place was amazing!!
First of all, the drinks are DELICIOUS and super creative in a mature and non-cliche way. I had the celery gin cocktail and it was all that a gin cocktail should be - crisp and refreshing.
I'd recommend getting dishes a la carte over the prix fixe. Three of us got 4 appetizers and 3 entrees and were stuffed to the brim- the prix fixe is even more than that!
I'd also recommend getting lots of appetizers - they definitely stole the show for the evening. The hen egg and PUMPKIN and dips were all awesome. The pumpkin had so much going on that i felt like i had blasts of different flavor crystals in each bite, but it all came together in a very complimentary way.
We also got the lamb shank, cous cous, and duck which were great. But by that time I was already gah gah over the appetizers.
ON top of that, the waitress was super helpful, explained every dish in meticulous detail, and put up with our over-excitement and giddyness throughout the night.
Aziza does not disappoint.
I had dinner here last night and it was delicious! We started with the sardines and the spreads appetizer, both of which were really good. The yogurt spread was my fave out of the three. I had the couscous with lamb sausage, chicken, prawns and vegetables and it was very filling (although doesn't look like a ton of food). Hubby had the seafood dish, which I had a bite of -- also very good. Would definitely dine here again.
YES -- it's very good.
I'm not usually big on this type of food, but even the familiar stuff (like spreads, grilled meats, coucous) was always surprising. Did the tasting menu, which is an excellent way to go -- and you won't be hungry afterward. High service standards as well -- you can see why they earned the Michelin star, as it reminded me of careful but persnickety European places, without the ties and jackets.
Only miss: the oddball "chocolate" spice cake dessert, which was too anisey for my tastes. (Yes, i was warned.) The "hazelnut" pear dacquoise was excellent, however.
I can't stop raving about the fig cocktail i got when I visited Aziza for the 3rd time a few months ago. It was 3 figs dunked in moscato and probably the best thing i have ever tasted. Not exaggerating.
Lamb shank dish seems to have gotten smaller :( though it was still enough to make me full. Ordered the basteeya for the first time and it was deliciously flaky on top.
I can't contribute anything other than what 500+ reviews have already said, but: The "spreads"… Read more »
A gem amid some pretentious over priced restaurants in the city. The atmosphere is warm, comfortable and quiet. Friendly and attentive service. I had the basteeya for starters. Just awesome and flavorful very tender chicken. I had the couscous entree which has chicken. lamb and prawns. All of the meats were cooked to perfection. Tender and juicy and so flavorful.
They cook couscous very well. Lots of places will over cook it. Definitely going back.
Seriously. The place is NOT closed. Oh, it LOOKS like its closed from the outside...as your driving by...every night...wondering when someone is going open up a new place at the site of an abandoned restaurant.... sigh, I'm an idiot.
So even though I live close to this place, I never went in - I didn't even realize it was really open until I bumped into a sampling of their food at a recent SF Foodie gathering... and that was impressive. So, hanging my head in shame I arranged to meet friends there the next week.
The food - mostly of middle eastern origin yet with that nouveau-chic spin all the kids are doing these days - was consistently over the top good. The bar - small as it was - produced an excellent Manhattan as well as a martini... but, as excellent as these drink were, the bartender was the slowest drink slinger I've ever seen. I had one drink at the bar and watched him - it was painful, like watching the Anal Retentive Bartender. (Exactly measure out the liquor...6 ice cubes in the shaker...find the right cherry... oh no! a spill...find the rag....clean it up... kill...me.) When we ordered drinks ar our table, it took almost 20 minutes for them to arrive. Not cool.
The other complaint has to do with the portion sizes - I'm usually really forgiving of this with higher end restaurants - which is what Aziza is shooting for here - since top-end restaurants are all about the art of the food, which includes visual arrangements on the plate as well as the taste. However, Aziza portions were tiny, even by my standards. It's rare I leave a meal hungry - but I did here.
So - 3 stars for atmosphere and quality of the food and drink - but minus two stars for speed and portion sizes. (Hell, I should minus myself two stars for not realizing this was an open, functioning place of business...)
As a one michelin star newcomer, we came with very high expectations, so here goes our experience...
We arrived on time and was promptly seated by a very friendly host. The atmosphere is not your typical michelin rated fine dining type of restaurant. It has more of a causal neighborhood comfortable feel. There is a small bar with about 8 stools but not much of a standing/lounging area.
After being seated we were first approached by a non smiling monotone manager/sommelier. Seeing that we brought our own bottle of wines, she immediately went to explain their corkage policy:
Her: Are you aware of our corkage fee? It's $25 per bottle.
Me: Oh when I called I was informed the fee is $20.
Her: Well when did you call?
Me: A few days ago when I made the reservations.
Her: Yeah well we just raised the price today.
Me: (semi-laughing) Oh wow just a sudden increase?! That's quite steep for a corkage fee.
That was pretty much the end of that conversation and still not not a single smile from her. Way to set the mood for our dinner. Honestly, I would have expected her as a courtesy to waive that extra $5 but we decided to move on and let that go as we had a whole night ahead of us. We can't help but wonder if the $5 increase is due to the new one michelin star rating??
Next we were approached our waiter who was very pleasant and inviting. He patiently explained how the $62 - 5 course meal worked. BTW, only a month ago, the 5 course meal was $55. So once again, we can't help but wonder if the $7 increase is due to the new one michelin star rating?? So...it includes a choice of soup, chef selected appetizer, chicken almond basteeya, any main course and any dessert - all full size portions! So with a party size of 4, we decided to go with that:
Soups - Pumpkin and Lentil, both were very strong in spices but I would recommend the pumpkin over the lentil. Also. the lentil was served luke warm which is a big pet peave for dish that is suppose to be served hot.
Appetizers - Goat cheese, 3 spreads w/grilled pita, lamb meatball skewers and grilled squid. Out of all 4, the grilled squid was the best, the most tender squid I have ever had. And the other three were good but nothing you can't get as great elsewhere.
Basteeya - Wonderful! This was the only dish we thought was outstanding!
Main Entrees - Chicken, shrimp, lamb sausage couscous, lamb shank and duck. The only thing unique and tasty about the couscous is the lamb sausage as the rest of the dish was very bland. The lamb shank was tasty as well as the duck and portions were very well sized but once again nothing you can't get as great elsewhere.
Desserts - Hazelnut and Quince. Now this was the highlight of the night! Both were very unique and well presented. We were surprisingly impressed as we are not typically dessert people unless it's included in a pre fixe meal. If I were just to rate the dessert I would say 5 stars.
Overall, it was good food and a great deal for the 5 course meal. I would recommend everyone to try it once as Moroccan food is not a common cuisine. But it was not uniquely outstanding in terms of "I must go back" and not quite one michelin star worthy when we compare to other fellow one michelin star restaurants.
I came to this place from a high recomendation from a friend and I was not disappointed.
This is an awesome restaurant without having to fight downtown tho i would even drive downtown to eat here!
I tried the 5 course tasting menu at 60ish per person and polished a bottle of wine.
The entree was excellent. Pro-tip... do not order extra flat bread or you will be too full for entree/dessert.
dessert:
The quince which consists of buckwheat crpe, apple fritter, ginger ice cream was great.
I was not such a big fan of the spice chocolate. People that are not as fond of sweets i can see liking it.
I used to live a couple of blocks away from this restaurant, and passed it so many times, but for some reason never thought about going in there. Recently, my best friend read an article about Aziza at Chronicle and then we saw all these great reviews on Yelp, and we knew we had to try it...
When you step inside, the place looks nothing like on the outside. I think the outside was always primarily the reason i never did give this place a try when i lived right near it. But the inside is a totally different world. Of course, i should say that the place is always packed, so going without reservations is probably not a good idea.
We came in 15 minutes early and the hostess said they didn't have any tables yet but she would let us know as soon as something opens up. So maybe 5 minutes later we got seated. We got a nice corner booth with really comfortable seats.
When our waitress, Katia, came and asked if we had dined there before, we said no and that we were unfamiliar with the menu (we didn't do our homework of checking out yelp for menu recommendations), she gladly described the menu.
So here's what we ordered, and i think for probably once in my life (or somewhere around that) i did not not like anything that i tried! I loved absolutely everything, and let me just tell you, i am pretty picky when it comes to food! We were worried about not having enough food as we were both starving, so we ordered 3 appetizers, extra flat bread, and 2 main courses. I couldn't finish my main course as i was ready to burst, but i did want to try their desserts so somehow i managed to stuff it in myself.
Starters:
- Pumpkin soup - delicious and creamy, warms up your belly so nicely;
- Spreads with flat bread - very delicious, may look small, but DO NOT be deceived like we were and DO NOT order extra bread, or else you will overstuff yourself like i did;
- Chicken wings - my friend was worried they would be messy (chicken wings!) but they were deboned and nicely laid there with various unique flavored sauces - delicious!
- Extra flat bread - good, but unnecessary, save yourselves for the real food!
Main course:
- Duck - my friend ordered it, and i had a bite of it, absolutely delicious!
- Couscous with prawn, chickens and veggies - my entree choice - yummm!!
Dessert:
- Chocolate cake - my friend's order; i had a bite, it's got some spice to it; my friend liked it, but i probably wouldn't order it, but that could just be because i'm not a huge chocolate fan;
- Yogurt napoleon - not your typical napoleon, but this dessert is so light and it was a perfect choice because i obviously overate and couldn't handle anything too heavy.
We didn't get to try their drinks because my friend couldn't drink that night and i had to drive, but they looked very tempting...
The service was excellent! It is a huge turn-off for me if my water glass gets empty and nobody notices that it needs to be filled. Here, i was impressed that a guy kept coming to us and refilling our glasses every half a minute. And let me tell you, i drink a lot of water! It's like they had a person dedicated just to filling up people's water glasses. Definitely a great detail of customer service. Also, there was a group of three people sitting next to us. They brought them a wrong appetizer and when they told the waitress about it, she didn't just take it and leave, like other restaurants would do, she said they could have it on the house and she would come back with the right order! Impressed again! Our waitress and the guys who brought the food were all extremely friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable about the menu.
So without the drinks, for the two of us it came up to $120 something, without the tip. While it is quite pricey, we both thought it was worth it (plus since we definitely ate way too much this time, next time we'll order fewer appetizers).
The food is not your typical Moroccan food, but definitely a very successful fusion. We will be back to try the rest of their menu and cocktails!
Chef Lahlou has brought new talent onto his team with sous chef Maldonado, who impressed in stints at Cortez and Cafe Majestik. Previously, the food was a bit too sweet for me. Now, it seems more complex with better balance of the sweet by the savory notes.
I order ala carte and start with pumpkin soup rendered subtle and interesting by its spicing and foam. Great way to start a meal. Next, beet salad with cherries, greens, shallots, and spices is also very good. A perfect balance of savory and sweet. That's the theme here.
Lamb and beef meatballs with a spicy pepper kick come with grapes,
jicama and harissa. The jicama smooths and soothes the spiced
meatballs, the grapes add a note of sweetness, and harissa adds depth and complexity.
A main of halibut is cooked sous vide and comes with fresh water shrimp, artichoke, and couscous. A complex plate, however, I would have preferred the halibut pan cooked rather than prepared sous vide, which somewhat homogenized the taste and texture of the fish.
Finally, hazelnut dacquoise was a bit too sticky sweet, but nice nonetheless.
The only negatives were tap water that had an odd off taste to it and the menu which did not adequately describe the food. Food this good really does deserve better presentation on the menu.
Aziza might be described as California ingredients informed by a Moroccan sensibility. Of course it… Read more »
Lamb Shank+Persimmon Bourbon Cocktail=HEAVEN!
Right, that lamb shank I've been wanting to try brought me back to Aziza after my first short visit at the bar. AMAZING. Think Kokkari does a great lamb shank? Trust me, this is better, if it is at all possible. The sweetness from the prunes makes the dish from good to great, which is where Kokkari lost a bit. Meat is so tender that falls off the bone (you're probably reading this 100+ times here).
The persimmon cocktail is to die for! With all those interesting options you have from the cocktail menu, I ordered 2 of those in a row, yup it's that good.
First time Michelin star awarded restaurant in 09 is something we were looking forward to it. With the price of $$ from the Michelin star website, it's something you want to awe but to try it out yourself.
We did and overall experience is 4 stars. Some were very good and some weren't all that especially the prices.
Forget the drink, let's get to the Dinner menu, then follow by Desserts.
Dinner, we had Olive and Spreads for appetizers.
Olive had scented Cinnamon with citrus favor, it's an okay.
Spreads is one of my favorite. Flatbreads with eggplant-balsamic, piguillo-almond, yogurt-dill favorite sauce for you to paste onto the breads and my favorite is the eggplant-balsamic. all 3 favorites weren't to salty or strong, but it's settle and mellow taste, which is good.
For Entree, overall winner is the "Chicken" dish. White chicken meats were tasted like a soft, juice dark meats, but it looks white; while the chicken wrap around the dark chicken meats tasted were succulent. Pretty sure you can find the pictures, if you have facebook, it looks like this:
http://www.facebook.co...
We also got Atlantic code ( vadouven, marble potato, leaves and octopus) it's okay.
quail (quince, swiss chard, cipollini, sunchoke) A++
Desserts, we had Hibiscus and Hazelnut. Don't underestimate "hibiscus", it was an arts with crunching granita, which is on top. Center a rose parfait, with citrus tuile on the bottom. It looks more like a cup cake to me, but the experiences we had was fabulous.
overall, each person comes out to be $65 per person include tax and tip.
If you were to ask me to come back again, probably not. Cause there are so much more good food out there!
Oh my! This was one of my favorite dining experiences (ever!) in terms of the quality of the food and drinks. The basteeya and the lamb were the true stand out dishes. The ambiance was cozy and romantic... Sounds like the perfect evening, right?!?
Welllll, it very well could have been had we not had the waiter from hell. Inattentive and uninformed, he acted put out every time we ordered another drink. Hmmm, last time I checked bar drinks add money to the bill which proportionately increases the sales tax and thus, generally, equals an increased tip.
I intend to go back for that basteeya. Hopefully we will have a happier server.
If this was an art gallery review, I would give this place at least 4 and probably 5 stars. The decor is pleasant and understated but very comfortable, with soft cushiony seats. The service was okay, not great but maybe it was this guy's first day. Perfectly acceptable for an art gallery if not for a restaurant. Most strikingly, each dish was a work of art. I have to say that Aziza has mastered the art of presentation.
But there was a slight issue with the food being, frankly, not that good. I worked in catering and I get the importance of ambiance and presentation, but in the end if the food is just meh presentation doesn't count for much.
I was pretty disappointed, particularly since the pumpkin soup first course was so good. After that I was looking forward to the rest of the tasting menu, but the appetizer (can't recall what it was but featured feta, spinach, and beans), basteeyas, spreads with flatbread, and the entrees themselves (striped bass and scallops) were just bland and unflavorful. Not that they were bad, but I've had better food for less than a quarter of this price.
Bottom line, not a good value at all. If you want beautiful presentation and ambiance this is the place for you. If you want good food, look elsewhere. I would suggest Mansour on Clement street for better Moroccan food at a lower price.
Can I say amazing much!? Honestly, I don't think you need me to sit here and write a review about how amazing Aziza is. There are already hundreds of reviews telling you how this place is the shit. And surprise, surprise, it really is!
I came here for my first time about a week ago for me and my boyfriend's anniversary. We wanted something to do in the city that was special, but also easily accessible. Conveniently living about 4 blocks away made Aziza the perfect spot for us to celebrate our relationship and to enjoy a wonderful meal! Like other reviewers have said, Aziza is a great spot to celebrate a milestone in your life, birthday, anniversary, etc. So if you have the money and you're not a complete idiot who thinks the Richmond (both outer and inner) is a completely different world, then this is the place for you. You can go there just to enjoy their delicious cocktails and taste their wonderful appetizers, or you could go for a huge, spectacular meal (they have a five course tasting menu $62 per guest)... In any case, you will not leave disappointed!
Because we were celebrating our anniversary, we decided to go all out. We unexpectedly enjoyed a 7 course meal (who do I thank for that!? Chris? Mourad? You're all awesome!)... That meal, I can positively say, was the best meal/dining experience of my life, hands down. We got to try so many dishes from the menu like the lentil soup, the radish appetizer, squid and fennel salad, lamb meatballs, basteeya (OMG, this to me could be an amazing comfort dish - warm you right up!), couscous with lamb sausage, prawn and chicken, and then my boyfriend's lamb shank (to die for - I would order that next time in a heartbeat; it was absolutely mouth watering!)... Yikes, that was a long sentence!
After we thought it was all over, we were greeted with another ridiculously delicious dish, but so sweet and special! They brought us their quince and buckwheat crepe dessert with ginger ice cream that had "happy anniversary" written on the plate in chocolate. That made me feel so special! I didn't think this place could get any better, but right then and there it did (thank you again!!!!).
This place is amazing. Even though there's nothing big to celebrate in my immediate future, I still just want to go back just to savor the food and drinks. Amazing in every way... Expect to see me here at any chance I get!
I hadn't been to Aziza since it switched up it's game, and was a little skeptical because, well, when I go to a Moroccan joint I'm going for the Belly dancers, and from their website it didn't give off that kind of vibe (i.e. there was no mention of scantily clad girls with cute little guts.)
But I was impressed. The food was delicious, and made with especially fresh ingredients.
Their Basteeas (that chicken stuffed pastry) were delicious, and I'd go back just for that.
And our server knew the menu better than I know myself.
I've only had Moroccan food once before this experience and was super excited to see a Moroccan restaurant in SF be given a Michelin star. So I made reservations and a few hours later, we were there!
Instead of the tasting menu, the four of us chose 4 appetizers and 4 main courses to share! The one complaint I have is that the menu is over simplified - not giving any hints as to what to expect in the actual dish.
The two dish that stood out for me was the pumpkin soup - it had this kick to it which was delicious! And the duck. Wow...it's been over a week and I can still remember how tender that duck was. It definitely was the best duck I've ever had in my life. I was even reluctant to get it, since I didn't think it was a predominant Mediterranean dish to get!
I enjoyed the pretty plates for presentation and the service too. We were way too stuffed and even skipped dessert. All this came out to be less than the tasting menu price and we did manage to taste a lot of dishes!
I tried this place based on yelp reviews: I give them 2 stars for the service only because it's just not worth the money. It's really expensive; go here only for special events that aren't recurring because it'll put some serious dent in your bank account!
We decided to go with fixed menu 5 course for $60....right there I thought wow..that's expensive. As for the food: Loved the lentil and the pumpkin soup. Their Basteeya is just heavenly. Best I've ever tasted. I think this is their only outstanding dish. I felt I was in a French restaurant when they brought out the cheese plate! Huge plate with a small ball of goat cheese in the middle!! I mean common for $60 per person you can do better!!! at least give everyone at the table their own little cheese ball! Oh...they are also very stingy about their bread! How much that'll cost if you just give every table a basket of bread, since your food is diet size anyway! We had to ask for extra bread as the appetizer had only about 3 pieces of bread with a lot more dipping sauces.
All in all not worth the money cause it's really expensive the bill for 5 of us came to over $350!!! But I must say this the service is absolutely extraordinary....I guess you are essentially paying for the service and lots of phony smile from the wait staff, cause the food is not exceptional.
I really enjoyed eating here. Just stepping inside was a pleasure, and everyone was kind and knowledgeable. The drink menu is interesting; I had the cucumber gin, and it was perfect.
We got the five course tasting menu, which was a very relaxed and pleasurable eating experience, perfect for people who enjoy each others' company. By the time our entrees rolled around, I was full from the fantastic soup and interesting spreads. Everything was so rich and evenly paced that I really felt like I needed a nap before I could even think about starting in on my scallops, not to mention dessert. There were some dishes I enjoyed a lot more than others (the basteeya I could have done without, for example), and I don't think I'd be able to tackle the tasting menu again, but I do recommend it to first-time patrons!
I'd come back here especially for the ambiance, drinks and soup.
Wow, 668 reviews already! Yes it just earned a Michelin Star and Aziza definitely did not disappoint. The portions are so large! So, we started with the spreads (must order), beet salad (delish and touched on the sixth sense) and pumpkin soup (tasty and yummy). I love appetizers/small dishes and am a big believer of ordering more appetizers/small dishes and fewer main courses. I then had the chicken wings (which are de-boned) and tasted really good and liked the brussell sprouts and cranberries and the meatballs. By the time the meatballs came out I was soooo stuffed.
I wish we could have eaten dessert, but there was no way to fit anything else in my belly.
The reason I only gave four stars is that we were seated in the side dining room, but doesn't have the same ambiance as the main dining room and service was a bit slow between our last dish.
Everything was remarkable - the homemade pita bread, the meatball/grapes on a stick, the service, the surroundings, the person making the reservation, and don't miss the pear dacquoise with the burnt honey ice cream.
Sometimes restaurants this good are haughty, but not here - can't wait to return!
Aziza was the birthday boy's venue of choice and so seven of us converged here to celebrate. We were told that the cocktails were amazing so we were definitely looking forward to it.
We started the meal with said cocktails that were definitely interesting and worth the $10 price tag. There was a wide variety of drinks as well as a good selection of wines and beers.
As we were enjoying our drinks the server came and asked us if we were ready to order appetizers. We placed our orders and about twenty to twenty five minutes later they arrived. We were enjoying our drinks and the wait seemed negligible. The appetizers were delicious. The spreads were wonderful as was the special vegetarian pumpkin soup appetizers for the night.
Following the appetizers we ordered our entrees. Literally this is where the problem began for me. A number of us are vegetarian and there were only two vegetarian options (two couscous dishes) on the entree menu. We have been to a number of these Moroccan-fusion restaurants (such as Saha) and the options for vegetarian entrees should have been greater. On top of that, when asked about a vegetarian menu that many restaurants are beginning to feature (such as Fly Trap) we were told there was none. The chef was unable to whip anything special up for us unlike other restaurants in a similar price range (such as Postrio's). That being said, we settled on a number of couscous dishes. They were fairly average with nothing particularly interesting about them. The couscous in the vegetable couscous dish was somewhat dry as well.
The wait between the appetizers and the entrees ran very long. Between 45 minutes to an hour. We were starving by then and tired. By the end of the night, with the incredibly slow service, dinner lasted from 8:30pm to Midnight. I appreciate that they stayed open to accommodate us and the few other diners in the restaurant, but if they provided better service they would not have had to remain open that long. Especially since there were very few other patrons in the place on a Monday night.
Overall I would not return here unless their service and entree menu dramatically improved. As the decor and charm of the place is nice, I really hope they make some changes to their menu so I can return.
-----
Edit: Bumping up to three stars. I received a very nice reply from the owner of Aziza apologizing for the delays in service. He also mentioned that the server should have asked the kitchen to prepare something vegetarian for us and our friends because the chefs would have no problem doing that. Knowing this, I will definitely return and try Aziza for dinner again! Thanks Mourad.
I honestly do not even know where to begin.
First of all, we came in here at 8:30PM on a Wednesday night and the place was packed. There were people waiting at the bar.
Started with an absolutely fantastic cocktail before getting into a bottle of coteaux de languedoc (if I recall correctly).
We both decided to get the 5 course taster. Amazing! The pumpkin soup was to die for.
Our waiter was not only knowledgeable but extremely attentive and not in an over bearing way.
We ended with desert with a wonderful desert port.
You definitely pay for what you get. Reading some of the other reviews about going home hungry, I have to say I do not know where they were coming from because I can eat!
Wonderful restaurant. If you could judge a book by it's cover, this would be it--nondescript exterior leads into rich interior curtailed in dark earthen hues accented by Arabic architecture. The food is just as rich and complex, buttery flatbread with just a hint of char, sweet spreads, rich and tender cuts of duck and lamb complimented by figs and sweet purees. It's another world right in the Richmond district of all places, a district where you commonly find uncommon surprises (PPQ, Halu, and Chapeau! just to name a few).
I came here with a party of three. Reservations were booked a few hours into the night, but luckily, they have two tables they reserve for walk-ins so we gladly arrived unannounced. We went all out--had the tasting menu with the wine pairing. While the prices were reasonable, I do feel that it was a bit too much of a good thing. The foods are so rich, sweet, and dense, five courses, it's just a lot of food to put away. Needless to say, all three of us packed boxes to go. At a hundred bucks a head, it was a great deal, I just don't think I'd do it again.
Some of our favorites were the flat bread for starters (the yogurt dill spread was exquisite), the duck and the lamb shank for entrees, and the hazelnut for desert. Those would be my goto options the next time I'm back.
And yes, I will return.
Yum! Yum! Yummy! OK so silliness aside, our dinner here last night was delightful. Service was friendly and attentive. Everything we ordered was delicious, particularly the skewered meatballs and the cucumber-yogurt spread with pita. We also tried the Monterey squid (texture was PERFECT) and the hearts of romaine salad which was quite good. The boy ordered the hangar steak for his main course, which I LOVED. It was perfectly rare and full of flavor. He practically licked his plate clean, even though he rarely finishes his dinner. I had the couscous with chicken, prawns, and sausage. The sausage was the real winner. I only wish there had been more of it! The cocktails were stellar as well. We finished off our meal with a 20 year tawny port. Fantastic!
Aziza,
Having eaten here before, a friend of ours picked this place for his special B-day night. The hostess greeted us warmly, setting the tone for the service throughout the night.
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern accents adorn the interior space. Separate rooms make it a good place for an intimate dinner or a group of friends.
A couple of our friends show up late, which only gave us more time to try a few from Aziza's fabulous cocktail menu. I highly recommend trying at least two or three of their very unique drinks. Among the favorites at the table were the Rye & Concord Grape, Cilantro w/ kaffir-lime & Vodka , and the Thai Chili w/lemongrass, chartreuse, mint & gin. Yum!
Appetizers were modern and simple. The chef's special that day was the pumpkin soup, which I wouldn't mind having had for the main course. Others highlighted the few main ingredients. From the mizuna salad to the piquillo-almond spread, it was just enough to pique our interest in the main course.
The timing between the appetizers and the main course seemed to pass by quickly for me, thanks to another round from the cocktail menu, but some of our friends with bigger appetites were not happy with the long wait. If you're having dinner here before a show, or other event, be sure to have the waiter inform the chef of the timing!
The main courses were elegantly simple, accentuating the flavor of the main ingredient. Toasted, and buttery, the Sardinian couscous is my new favorite in the city. Having said that, the only two vegetarian dishes on the menu were both couscous making for a couscous-crowded table. We were informed by the waiter that none of the other dishes could be made veggie, which was a disappointment given the good experience we were having so far.
Desert was served by our friend, who thoughtfully picked up a very delicious mango-mousse cake on the way. There is a $2.50/person cake-cutting fee. Had that not been served, I would like to have tried the chocolate spice cake w/chocolate-star anise crémeux, & goat cheese date.
Overall, I'd say most of us had a good experience. The service was knowledgeable, friendly and very attentive. Considering that Mediterranean/Moroccan is a favorite among vegetarians, I'd like to see a few more options on the menu.
Solid 4 stars!
my g/f and i went to SF for a long weekend and on saturday night we had reservations at an aussie restaurant. we went to the restaurant and weren't overly impressed so decided at the last minute to head to aziza....and were we glad we did! aziza was very accommodating and seated us right away. food was excellent and service was good. i would definitely go back when in SF again.
This place is the complete opposite of what I expect from a Middle eastern restaurant specially Morrocan
Not friendly from the minute you step in you are given cold sad stares It seems we came in too early and had to wait for the wait staff to arrive or some bullshit like that
The food ridiculous portions and yo just wish you could escape after waiting forever to get a tiny plate with a butterflied merguez sausage
Some Mitre D or the Owner ?? walking around looking disturbed by the sight of your group
Go to Tajine for friendly generous rewarding authentic Morrocan food
This is a place that serves Organic meat and produce. really great quality all from local farms around Bay Areas. We came here for dinner. We sat in one of the booths. very nice decor. We didn't know what to order, and our very nice, helpful, informative server told us to try the 5 course ! I am so glad we did. it was awesome. Most of all we had great service. Our server she was so aware of everything, never jumped into our conversation, but always there when we needed her, and most of all she heard its one of our BD (we didn't intend for that) and one of our deserts came with candle and a beautiful "Happy Birthday" what more could you ask.
But warning, the 5 course really is a lot, and we did our best to finish every dish, it was hard! :-). Also try a cocktail really great.
Food:
1st course: soups- Pumpkin, and lentil both just amazing
2nd course: 3 appetizer picked by the chef: Lima beans (Lima bean baked with spices, and bread crumbles YUMMY!), Spread ( 3 different ones, with pita bread, all just great), Goat cheese with tomato Jam( It was not the best dish still good)
3rd course: Basteeya (vegetarian is available also, its chicken baked in like a phyllo with lots of spices and almond, this was my favorite dish!!)
4th Course: each picked our own, couscous with chicken (lots of veggies), Farro (don't know what it made from but just heavenly and creamy), and Chicken ( nice pieces of chicken with great tasting sauce)
5th Course: 3 desert. I loved them all.
This is a place for special day, since it is expensive, but it will make your special day even more special.
started with the hen egg, squid and sardines. followed by the duck and lamb shank. the duck was cooked perfectly and there was so much of it, i couldn't stop eating it! the lamb was wonderfully seasoned and falling off the bone. ended with the hibiscus granite.. wow...
for more ambiance, make sure you ask to sit in the back with all the round tables, it's adequately dim with pillowed bench seating for two. very nice for a romantic evening out.
can't wait to go back to try all the other dishes!! well deserved michelin star!!
well, we came in from the cold, and I am not so sure a person who feels like she was saved from the blizzard by a restaurant is at the best position to judge it. however, i am about to, so just note this caveat while you read, since it's quite possible I only imagined this oasis.
in fact, i am quite sure aziza exists - since the bill felt quite real (and this, by the way, is my only serious criticism).
the food was great. really great. and i am definitely one to be suspicious of pita bread and burek refashioned into pricey items on a restaurant's menu. only these were not your standard pita,burek,couscous and bastiya, these were really imaginative, refined dishes.
our server - whose chosen style can only be described as "much too nice" - guaranteed that the tasting menu would leave even the most gluttonous of us (that would be me) satiated. I can't say that that happened - which can only mean that my dinner mates were feeling as voracious as I.
Now I really feel duty-bound to visit again - Of course it would be irresponsible not to make sure that it wasn't hunger, cold and wind that produced this stellar review. I'll report back.
P.S: the soup!
WOW!
I was a little skeptical about some of the
dishes, and I actually wanted to leave after reading the menu. I was
pleasantly surprised and amazed at how great the food is. The hanger steak, scallops, chicken wings and squid were out of this world good.
It is a great date place and the service was perfect. Maybe they deserve two Michelin stars instead of one.
Oh so good! Just when you think you are done being amazed by the food, the next course comes out...
The five course chef's tasting menu is wonderful. Just enough for two hungry people.
The chicken pastilla (which looked just like a chicken pot pie) was heavenly - a savory flakey crust hiding rich flavors that just grab a hold of your palate.
Tremendous, delectable, outstanding, awe inspiring, outrageous, yumzies! I don't know how else to describe this fantastic meal.
My sweetie took me here for my birthday yesterday and we had the pleasure of cleaning the plates off of the chef's tasting menu.
We had:
Starters/apps: harira and almond cream soup. He wanted nothing to do with the almond cream soup. "You know I don't like that crap" he exclaimed. We ended up switching soups in the middle, because it was unbelievable. The harira was one of the best I've ever had.
Spreads and meatballs: Both were really delicious. I'm a long time lover of yogurt dip and this was just out of this world. The meatballs were stupid amazing.
Getting pretty full by this point, but our taste buds were just being teased.
Bastilla: Um wow. The sweet and savory combination was just so perfect. I'm more amazed at the execution, however. It was absolutely perfectly cooked. I mean, I don't expect anything less, but it's just always a pleasure to experience it.
Entrees: I had the scallop and he had the meat couscous. I literally sat there savoring every single taste I could get out of those scallops. The saffron was mild and coated the scallops perfectly. I was stealing the couscous from him, because the the saffron sauce on top of couscous is one of my all time favorite combinations. His lamb sausage was deliciously spicy and the chicken was beautifully marinated and cooked.
Desserts: hazelnut and chocolate. We simply couldn't eat at this point any longer, but the hazelnut was awesome. Chocolate was kinda eh I'll admit, but I don't care!
Man oh man this was insane! From start to bottom, the ambiance, the service... all of it brought me to tears. Ha! No, but the last thing I'd like to add is this - even though I was obviously stuffed by this meal, I didn't feel a heaviness in my stomach and I really appreciate that.
Eat here, enjoy, and mention my name.
This is one of the very few places that I've eaten at, and left hungry and upset. Ordered an appetizer and main course. Isn't that enough food to fill anyone's hunger? No, not at Aziza. Not for me.
I found out later that you need to do the Chef's Tasting menu in order to get the full experience and a full belly. I know $55 for tasting menu is pretty darn affordable, but I didn't think that I needed so much food for that particular evening.
Started off with Chicken Wing app. The chicken wings were halved and deboned. The plate was 5 pieces of halved wings = 2.5 chicken wings for $12. I ordered the Duck for my main course, the waitress told me they were out of duck but could do the same plate with Squab instead. I said OK. That's the most expensive plate on the menu, so I thought it can't be bad.
My plate came, Squab with rutabaga, apple, cracked wheat porridge with honey for $26.
The menu forgot to mentioned it's a 4 bite plate. The squab meat were rolled up to a cigar-like shape and seared. Then cut into 4 bite size pieces. Served on a plate with chunks of cooked down apple, rutabaga with some cracked wheat. 2 bites were overcooked, and 2 other bites were good.
It was cracked alright. Whoever that ran a restaurant and served that plate and charged their customers $26 must be on crack.
One more thing, the parking. We had to valet park because there were no parking available. An employee that was guarding the front of the restaurant door also blocked off the front 2 public parking slots. That was their valet parking. We pulled in, surrendered the key, and paid him $10. When we came out, he took the ticket and hand us the car key and took the tips like he deserved it. Did not open the car doors, or start the engine or anything. The employee's reflection on the restaurant he worked for. Exactly what I'm talking about.
1/2 Price Wine Special
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Happy Hour Mon-Sat 5PM-7PM
Neighborhood: Mission
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Moroccan
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Moroccan
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: French
Neighborhood: Russian Hill
Category: American (New)
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