The Allure of Azure

Simple food done extraordinarily well. This pretty much sums up the food of Azure Restaurant, one of the dining places of the Hyatt Regency. The moment we walked inside the restaurant, just past its thick, heavy doors into the main venue, the open kitchen in the center and the tables and chairs divided into spacious rooms introduced by wide arches and huge pendant lamps welcomed us. The thick carpet of beige and dark blue reminded us the colors of the Aegean Sea; interpreted with sophistication and elegance. Like the fabled waters of the Aegean that flows between the mainland of Greece and Turkey, Azure Restaurant combines the very best of Greek and Turkish cuisines.

Azure restaurant was opened a few months ago. It provides a refreshing, mystical retreat from the common flavors of Riyadh’s gustatory scene. It’s proud of it’s high quality ingredients which can be immediately seen in their open kitchen. Fresh seafood is on display, salads and mezzes are prepared for the day, and olives and bread are visible above the countertops. The menu is straightforward with just four pages of selections. The table is set with plates that bear the pattern and colors of the Mediterranean. Everything is set for a polished and beautiful dinner!

Chef Konstantinos Arampatzis explains to us briefly the Greek and Turkish background of each dish he served. I find his “just lemon and olive oil” description on how he prepares and cooks the main dishes to be too simple to be tasty but I later found out that those ingredients were really all that were needed to bring clarity, finesse, and flavor on the plate. His cooking was sharp and consistent: done with so much respect and skill that he acquired for the many years he has been an executive chef at the Hyatt Regency in Greece.

The selection of mezza (appetizers) were overflowing but their taste on point. They were little gastronomic discoveries in every dip. They went perfectly with the bread and olive oil served on every table. I haven’t seen salads as vibrant in colors as the Aegean Village Salad and Fig, Feta and Hazelnut Salad. All the greens were crisp and every ingredient had a flavor to share, from the subtle herbs and cheese to the robust vinaigrette and julienned bell peppers. Together, they were a joy to eat.

Their calamari is lightly fried and its coating thin. Once you start eating one, you can’t help but go back for more. The piece of octopus tentacle, all pink and blistered from the grill, looked daunting to eat. However, it was grilled well and expertly seasoned. It took me a couple of chews but it wasn’t as tough as I thought it to be. Their pan-fried quail with pekmez, grapes, and dukka gremolata is also a revelation. It looks tiny on the plate but it has a fairly high proportion of lean, meaty flesh to bone. Its taste delicate and like most dishes in our table, subtle in flavor.

Watching Chef Konstantinos cook our fish for the day was mesmerizing. He seasoned and cooked it in such a no-nonsense way that I was pleasantly surprised. The sea bass tasted freshly-grilled that I can vividly imagine myself savoring this dish on a seashore. However, the Lobster Linguine proved to be the highlight of our meal. It was cooked in tomatoes and olive oil. The flesh was soft and delicious!

To end our meal, we were served the Turkish baklava. The layers of filo were translucent, it’s top glistening with sweet syrup and its center filled with chopped nuts. On the side was a scoop of pistachio ice cream soaking the pastry with more sweetness. We had the most memorable kunefe in Azure. It was, dare I say, the best kunefe I’ve ever had in Riyadh! It was crispy, cheesy and oh-so luscious! There is no better way to be reintroduced to this popular treat.

Azure promises dishes as captivating as the Aegean Sea. With their energetic and bright approach to traditional Greek and Turkish cooking, Azure certainly makes their promise true every day.