A mecca for food-lovers, Del'Aziz was founded by a husband and wife team and has become a small chain of Mediterranean delicatessen & brasseries serving delightful food to eat in or take away.
Del’Aziz
Mediterranean Restaurant in Bermondsey
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Opening Times
| Monday |
Open 07:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Tuesday |
Open 07:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Wednesday |
Open 07:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Thursday |
Open 07:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Friday |
Open 07:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Saturday |
Open 08:00 - Closes 23:00 |
| Sunday |
Open 08:00 - Closes 23:00 |
All In London Review
Simply delightful
There are no empty tables outside as dozens of people have chosen to take advantage of the smidgeon of sunshine gracing us with its presence on this Wednesday evening, some are smoking shisha, others simply basking in the glorious weather. We are given a cute little table which appears to be right next to where we suspect the jazz band will perform later. We immediately worry this will put an end to our conversation, but decide to wait and see what happens. However later on when I return from having a cigarette I am startled to find the table where I had been sitting empty, the helpful waiter having moved us to a less noisy area of the restaurant, without us even having to ask.
The sheer number of dishes on the menu makes it hard to choose, the variety of hot and cold meze as well as main courses (which include dishes like Persian kebabs, cous cous, and rather curiously at the back, burgers). We finally select starters of roast sardines ‘chermoula’ (£4.50) and a mussels and pepper salad (£4.50).
The chermoula is the marinade the sardines are cooked in, a typically Mediterranean mixture of lemon, garlic and herbs. My salad had thin slices of roasted pepper in a bowl with mussels still in their shell; my only gripe was that some of the mussels were firmly shut and I couldn’t eat them.
For the main course my companion decided on a Persian chicken kebab (£10.50), and I went for the cous cous royal (£12.50). The latter was a mixed dish of spicy merguez sausages, tender lamb and chicken pieces on skewers, served over cous cous with sultanas, cabbage, and other veggies. The meat was well seasoned and tasty, and I felt I was getting a meal as wholesome as anything my Iranian mother would prepare. The Persian chicken was heavily seasoned with saffron, as all Persian meat should be. Both portions were large but were so delicious we couldn’t help but greedily eat every last bit.
“Would you like to see our dessert menu?” our waiter asked. Despite already feeling the size of a small principality we said yes. “Well, there isn’t one”. Before we’d had too long to react to this, he took us round to the deli section of the restaurant where we were shown an impressive array of teas, honeys, cereals, and a bakery with freshly made cakes, pastries, and meringues.
At the same time we walked past the lounge area which looks like a kind of Middle Eastern tearoom. The glass flooring reveals what looks like underground caves, apparently this has been preserved for centuries and the restaurant managers have decided to make it a feature rather than cover it up. It certainly adds a slight edge to the room.
We ordered pear and banana cake (£3.75), and chocolate cake (£3.75), along with coffee and a vanilla tea for myself. Their tea selection is also impressive, from chai to Japanese roasted brown rice tea. When our portions arrived they were mammoth, “If you like sweet things they’re not that big” the waiter said after I gasped. After a few mouthfuls I had to ask to take it home with me, it would have been wrong to leave a pear and banana cake topped with cream behind.
This branch of Del’ Aziz will face competition from the numerous restaurants that line Bermondsey Street, however as long as they keep up the good service and good quality food they are likely to succeed.
Reviewed by Leila
Published on Aug 24, 2009
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