November 3, 2018

Laziz Restaurant: Filipino-Mediterranean Fusion

Mediterranean cuisine is my second favorite of all the foreign cuisines next to Japanese because of its robust flavors. If someone tells me we’re eating Mediterranean, I won’t even bat an eyelid when I say of yes! It offers one of the most flavorful and interesting types of food. Although this region spans a wide variety of cultures, the historical connections of the region, as well as the impact of the Mediterranean Sea on the region's climate and economy, have led to there being many common elements in the foods.




I went on another Mediterranean food run a few weeks ago with fellow foodies in Antipolo City. Surprisingly there are a few places in the east side that offers authentic Mediterranean cuisines despite the fact that Mediterranean cuisine always leaves diners wanting more. Known for its simple yet exotic ingredients, Mediterranean and one place that you can go to get your flavorful fix of this cuisine is at Laziz Restaurant which serves authentic Mediterranean and Filipino fusion food.




Laziz in Arabic means delicious. This humble restaurant is nothing fancy yet interiors are colorful with wood furniture. The dishes here are cooked and prepared by the owner’s mother who’s very well-versed with Middle Eastern cuisine as she and her family has lived in Saudi most of their entire life and only moved to the Philippines when she and her husband retired. Years of living in the Middle East has thought her and gave her the experience of cooking and prepping said dishes. 




If you’re to debate the authenticity of what they are serving at Laziz, you would probably on the losing side. Because we all know that experiencing Middle Eastern life first hand gives one a good grasp of its culture, cuisine and tradition. After all, experience is the best teacher right? Laziz also sources their ingredients straight from the Middle East to make sure they only get the real deal and the best. As for their meats and seafood, all are Halal as they are farm to table from the owner’s own farm in Quezon.

Check out this meal that we enjoyed nothing short of a feast:

Hummus, Babaganoush and Mutabbal - hummus is a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas. Babaghanoush is a dish of mashed cooked eggplant mixed with tahina, olive oil, and various seasonings. Mutabbal is a delicious condiment made with smoky roasted eggplant and creamy tahina with pungent garlic and the citrusy tang of lemon juice.



Greek Salad - made with pieces of tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, and olives, typically seasoned with salt and oregano, and dressed with olive oil.



Fattoush Salad - is a bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of khubz combined with mixed greens and other vegetables.



Kinilaw na Bangus -  fresh and raw cubed milkfish mixed with coconut vinegar



BBQ Lamb Chops and Grilled Shrimps - spiced and then grilled lamb chops and fresh shrimps



Tazaj BBQ Whole - 'Tazaj' denotes freshness which this dish is fresh chicken that is spiced and grilled



Sheiz  Taouk and Sheiz Beef Kebab - a traditional marinated chicken and lamb cubes shish kebab of Middle Eastern cuisine.



Chicken and Beef Shawarmas - thinly sliced cuts of meat rolled into a large piece of flatbread or pita that has been steamed or heated.



Grilled Squid - one of the Filipino dishes served at Laziz which is spiced and then grilled fresh squid



 Arabic Style Shrimp with Spicy Gambari - spiced and then steamed fresh shrimps with eggplants in tomato sauce



Biryani Chicken -  a highly aromatic and well-seasoned one-pot rice dish with a whole chicken



Kofta Beef and Lamb Kebabs - spiced ground meat, in this case, lamb and beef, shaped onto skewers and then grilled.



Kabsah Beef - is a family of mixed rice dishes that originates from Saudi Arabia where it is commonly regarded as a national dish. The dish is made with rice (usually long-grain, almost always basmati), meat, vegetables, and a mixture of spices. 



Laziz feeds all the senses. First thing that you will notice is how huge and well-presented their dishes are. The owner told us that the serving is really like that because if you happen to be invited in a Middle Eastern home to dine with their family, a normal lunch or dinner always seems like there’s an occasion as the food are always served in platters as if there’s a feast. Next is the aroma of the food being served, every time a dish comes out of the kitchen and laid on to the table the whole restaurant is filled with aroma of spices and smokiness of grilled meats. And then the taste, everything is just so flavorful.

I’m gonna be so biased because I’m a super fan of Mediterranean flavors so don’t be surprised when I say liked everything that we ate that time. But of course there were stand outs and my favorites were: Hummus, Greek Salad, Sheiz  Taouk and Sheiz Beef Kebab, Kofta Beef and Lamb Kebabs, Biryani Chicken, Kabsah Beef and Kinilaw na Bangus. Well, I love hummus, it’s a given fact, Laziz has a well-textured and well-flavored hummus perfect as dip and spread for a warm pita bread. The Greek Salad I prefer more than the Fattoush because I love the saltiness of the Feta cheese.

The kebabs were humongous, smoky, aromatic and super tasty. As for the Biryani Chicken, I love the hardwork behind cooking this dish (not everyone can cook this type of rice properly). It was aromatic and flavorful. The Kabsah Beef probably is my top 1 because of its gigantic serving especially those huge chunks of beef. The owner said, this is a “poor-man’s food” or “common-man’s food” in Saudi. I was like, for real? I can’t imagine the affluent version! This was super good! The biryani rice was aromatic and the beef was tender and juicy. Lastly, the Kinilaw na Bangus, the bangus is so fresh there’s no trace of rancidness and it tasted so creamy.

Me and my foodie colleagues went home with tummies full to the brim. I just love the warmth and heart of all the dishes that was served to us. I’m looking forward when they open their garden restaurant, where they still serve the same authentic Mediterranean food and Filipino fusion dishes just in a more relaxing setting.



LAZIZ RESTAURANT
Block 12 Lot 38, Executive Pines,
M.L. Quezon Ext., San Roque,
Upper Antipolo, Rizal 1870
Contact Nos: +639564189017 /
+639195854774



For more information, complete menu and restaurant reviews, check out their Zomato profile: 
Laziz Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


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1 comment:

  1. Interesting cuisine fusion. Though the place is too far from me. :(
    I hope I'll have the chance to visit it when I go in Antipolo, Rizal.

    ReplyDelete

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