I love taster's menus. They’re a great way to sample a wide variety of dishes, and there’s always the excitement of not knowing exactly what’s coming next. So when I saw that Azia 19 offered a taster's menu, one of my favorite sons and I immediately decided to give it a try.
At NIS 350 per person, it’s certainly not cheap, but I think we received excellent value for money. If you order an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a glass of wine almost anywhere else, you could easily spend 350 shekels. Besides, nobody on their deathbed ever said, “I wish I hadn’t tried the taster's menu at Azia 19.”
The menu includes a glass of wine, but Netanel asked if we could swap it for sake instead. The taster's menu consists of 10 courses, although some are just a bite or two. By the end, I was pleasantly full but not stuffed.
We arrived at the tail end of happy hour, when small hand rolls are served for just NIS 10 each. They may only be a bite or two, but what a bite! Even the condiments are made in-house, including the soy sauce.
Comparing Azia 19 to the chain sushi restaurants that have sprung up all over Israel is like comparing a Porsche to a Honda. A Honda may get you where you want to go, but if you want to travel in style, choose the Porsche.
But back to the taster's menu. The first course was a perfect piece of bluefin tuna nigiri, with the fish delicately draped over the rice. It was flawless, and I would happily have eaten a second - or even a third - piece. We also tried the nori tartare, in which the seaweed had been fried in tempura before being topped with fresh salmon, black tobiko, and yuzu aioli. There was also yasai uramaki, with the rice topped with stir-fried mushrooms and mushroom garum, a fermented mushroom sauce. Our final sushi course featured rice topped with chopped foie gras that simply melted in the mouth.
Before the hot dishes, we shared a sesame Caesar salad dressed with a sesame and peanut butter dressing that I still can’t stop thinking about.
The first hot dish, Sichuan paitan ramen, was a bit too spicy for me, although my son happily slurped up every last bite. It featured a 12-hour chicken broth with house-made noodles, beef tongue, and aromatic chili schmaltz. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, ask them to go easy on the chili oil.
Next came two kinds of dumplings: smoked gyoza filled with entrecôte and chicken thigh, and steamed dumplings filled with lamb. Both were excellent, although I preferred the gyoza.
Our final savory course was the Azia Burger, topped with foie gras, black garlic paste, and vegan cheese on a brioche bun. The burger was cut in half, and we each ate one half, but the flavors were so rich that it was more than enough.
While the taster's menu gave us an excellent overview of what Azia 19 has to offer, there were entire sections we didn’t get to sample, including the kushiyaki, charcoal-grilled skewers, and the sandos, or Japanese sandwiches. A glance at other diners’ plates suggested they were well worth trying.
As close as it comes to Japan
Then something happened that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced at a tasting menu.
“Are you full, or would you like another dish?” our server asked.
I was full, but I was sure my son would take her up on the offer. At 25, however, he can no longer eat the way he did as a teenager, so he declined as well.
We finished by choosing desserts from the menu. My son opted for a chocolate creation, while I chose the burnt marshmallow dessert, and we rounded off the meal with matcha tea.
Azia 19 is as close as I’ve come to Japan since our trip there two years ago, and I know I’ll be back soon - hopefully to both, but definitely to Azia 19. There’s also a lunch special offering 20% off the entire menu, including the taster's menu, from noon to 5 p.m., and owner Bar told us he is also planning to introduce a dedicated business lunch menu soon.
The writer was a guest of the restaurant.