AZE: Dolma Restaurant
Virgin experience with quince leaf 'dolma'!
In a blink of an eye, we'll soon be halfway through February 2023, and I have yet to finish posting on my trip to Azerbaijan last year. Any plans for Valentine's Day? Here's a post on another underground eatery that provides an exquisite dungeon-like dining ambience. My BFF and I just had to drop by Dolma Restaurant that's said to be among the most recommended in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Quince Leaf Dolma AZN 11.00 (~S$8.60)
Taste: 7.5/10
Dolma (lit. stuffed) is something that I always have whenever I go to Turkey to visit my sister. I've had those prepared with grape leaves, but their quince leaf counterparts were a totally new experience. I enjoyed the subtle fragrance of the leaf encasing a mix of rice, minced mutton and chopped herbs. Each piece was a delight to have with the minty yogurt sauce.
Chicken Bungalya AZN 13.00 (~S$10.20)
Taste: 7.5/10
That afternoon saw us ordering a pretty homely dish of chicken stew with spinach and beans cooked with butter, onions and mint leaves, something that we'd never encountered previously. A village chick was used in the preparation of the stew, which explains the small size of the white meat parts that were adequately succulent.
Sturgeon with Pomegranate Govurma AZN 48.00 (~S$37.55)
Taste: 6/10
Sturgeon isn't something that I can afford to eat every single day, not that it's readily available here in Singapore anyway. Given the price tag, I was expecting to be treated to something memorable, but I found that the fried fish, while tasty, was a tad dry. Thankfully, the pomegranate sauce cooked in lamb fat saved the day with its sweet, sour and savoury balance.
Traditional Pilaf AZN 15.00 (~S$11.75)
Taste: 8/10
For the main source of carbohydrate, we shared a plate of rice with a side of lamb cooked with dried apricots, prunes, raisins and chestnuts. While I've had more fragrant and buttery pilaf elsewhere, I really enjoyed the tender spiced meat that went well with the delectably sweet dried fruits. Pika's advice: If you're not a fan of meat, but you enjoy having dried fruits in your rice, why not give their Sweet Pilaf a try? Priced at AZN 11.00 (~S$8.60), it also features dates and walnuts.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 7/10
Ambience: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Overall: 7.5/10
Dolma Restaurant is located near Nergiz Restaurant that I wrote about previously. I hope they can do better with the sturgeon.
Dolma Restaurant
8 Mehmet Emin Resulzade Street
Baku
Azerbaijan
(Daily: 11.00am - 2.00am)
*Prices quoted are nett prices.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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