Review 4

Mazza
Salt Lake City, Utah

Mazza

When I first sampled Mazza, a Middle Eastern café specializing in appetizers, it was little more than a few tables in a tiny dining room. Although the ambiance was lacking, the food was much more impressive. Mazza features a menu full of classic middle- eastern dishes, such as baba ganooj, stuffed grape leaves, and hummus.
In the appetizer department, I would highly recommend the baba ganooj and the stuffed grape leaves. The baba ganooj features eggplant, lemon, garlic, and olive oil ground into a fine paste, then spread on pita bread. It is pungent, light, fresh, and flavorful. The grape leaves come with a side of yogurt sauce, and are stuffed with a savory mixture of rice, chopped greens, herbs, and various spices. When I first bit into one, I was met with an explosion of flavor coming from the juicy grape leaves, the cold yogurt sauce, and the rich rice. As a main course, the lamb and rice dolaa and baked kafta stood out. The lamb and rice dolaa is made by braising a lamb shoulder in broth, then cooking rice, nuts, and various herbs and spices in the broth. When I first bit in, I was surprised at how the flavor of the rice and nuts stood up to the lamb. The lamb was fall apart tender, but the rice and nuts held their own. I would attribute this to the fact that they were cooked in the very broth that cooked the lamb. The baked kafta is layers of potatoes and ground beef in a creamy sauce. Although a little rich for some people, I thought the sauce complimented the rich, earthy flavors of beef and potatoes perfectly. Mazza also makes sandwiches. The best sandwiches include the lamb shawarma, the falafel, and the chicken kabob sandwich. The lamb shawarma features small lamb patties, lettuce, yogurt sauce, and juicy tomatoes all in a pita pocket. When I first bit into it, the juice from the tomatoes mixed with the yogurt sauce and the juices given off by the lamb to create a very flavorful experience. Although it usually falls apart before being finished, it is a welcome break from the heavy grape leaves and entrees offered. The chicken kabob sandwich is amazing for one reason; the aoli spread. Besides that, it’s basically grilled chicken in a baguette. But the aoli softens up the bread, and gives a creamy, garlicy taste to the chicken that is a match made in heaven. Finally, the falafel sandwich is not what most people think of as falafel. This uses ground, deep fried fava and garbanzo beans to add a unique earthy flavor.
Overall, Mazza is a unique and excellent restaurant in a city that really needs some good middle-eastern food. Mazza offers amazing selections of both classic and updated dishes that will stun and delight diners everywhere.
Mazza- 7.5/10