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THREE OF A KIND - MUHAMMARA
STEPHANIE CLIFFORD-SMITH
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
February 21, 2012 Tuesday
First Edition
Anyone who's visited a Middle Eastern restaurant, or indeed an
Australian supermarket, will be familiar with hummus and babaghanoush.
But there's another dish with a lower profile that's an absolute
corker: muhammara. The main ingredient is grilled red capsicum, so it
trumps the others in the glamour stakes with its luscious deep-red hue.
Walnuts, chilli, olive oil and pomegranate molasses are part of the
mix. It's originally from Aleppo, in Syria's north, and the Armenian
influences on that city's food mean it's blindingly hot with chilli.
No fear, Sydney restaurants tone it down, so proceed with gusto rather
than caution. 1. Almond Bar Carved timber wall panels, chunky wooden
tables and tea lights set an intimate mood. It's almonds a-go-go as you
would expect in a bar with this name, a variety in different coatings
there for the grazing on each table. The muhammara ($7.50), while
slightly adjusted for Aussie palates, is as close to the gutsy Syrian
type as any we tried. It's a coarse mix of grilled red capsicums,
chilli flakes, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and spices with a few
breadcrumbs for body. 2. Arax The mural depicting cypresses along a
winding mountain road fits with the predominantly Italian pizza menu
here but they also serve Middle Eastern favourites. Enter muhammara
($12), a gentle, family-friendly mix of grilled red capsicums,
house-made pomegranate molasses and olive oil. The owners say it's
important the breadcrumbs and walnuts are chopped to a uniform
texture. The overall result is pleasingly chunky and very light on
chilli, a surprise, given the owners' Armenian heritage. The dish
is popular with kids, we're told, so it has to be mild. 3. Safi This
bright, compact space broken artfully by Middle Eastern textiles and
ceramics was one of the first places in Sydney to serve muhammara
($11.50). It's an appealing mix with subtle warmth from paprika and
walnuts adding richness and texture. Cumin is pronounced and lemon
juice adds tang. The subtle sweetness, normally from pomegranate
molasses, comes from ... sugar! But don't hold that against it. Almond
Bar, 379 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, 9380 5318 Arax, 670 Willoughby
Road, Willoughby, 9958 1518 Safi, 55 Ridge Street, North Sydney,
9954 6146
STEPHANIE CLIFFORD-SMITH
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
February 21, 2012 Tuesday
First Edition
Anyone who's visited a Middle Eastern restaurant, or indeed an
Australian supermarket, will be familiar with hummus and babaghanoush.
But there's another dish with a lower profile that's an absolute
corker: muhammara. The main ingredient is grilled red capsicum, so it
trumps the others in the glamour stakes with its luscious deep-red hue.
Walnuts, chilli, olive oil and pomegranate molasses are part of the
mix. It's originally from Aleppo, in Syria's north, and the Armenian
influences on that city's food mean it's blindingly hot with chilli.
No fear, Sydney restaurants tone it down, so proceed with gusto rather
than caution. 1. Almond Bar Carved timber wall panels, chunky wooden
tables and tea lights set an intimate mood. It's almonds a-go-go as you
would expect in a bar with this name, a variety in different coatings
there for the grazing on each table. The muhammara ($7.50), while
slightly adjusted for Aussie palates, is as close to the gutsy Syrian
type as any we tried. It's a coarse mix of grilled red capsicums,
chilli flakes, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and spices with a few
breadcrumbs for body. 2. Arax The mural depicting cypresses along a
winding mountain road fits with the predominantly Italian pizza menu
here but they also serve Middle Eastern favourites. Enter muhammara
($12), a gentle, family-friendly mix of grilled red capsicums,
house-made pomegranate molasses and olive oil. The owners say it's
important the breadcrumbs and walnuts are chopped to a uniform
texture. The overall result is pleasingly chunky and very light on
chilli, a surprise, given the owners' Armenian heritage. The dish
is popular with kids, we're told, so it has to be mild. 3. Safi This
bright, compact space broken artfully by Middle Eastern textiles and
ceramics was one of the first places in Sydney to serve muhammara
($11.50). It's an appealing mix with subtle warmth from paprika and
walnuts adding richness and texture. Cumin is pronounced and lemon
juice adds tang. The subtle sweetness, normally from pomegranate
molasses, comes from ... sugar! But don't hold that against it. Almond
Bar, 379 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, 9380 5318 Arax, 670 Willoughby
Road, Willoughby, 9958 1518 Safi, 55 Ridge Street, North Sydney,
9954 6146