Let’s talk about Azur. We were in Dubrovnik one Friday lunchtime and were driven inside by torrential rain. We hoped and prayed that once we were out from lunch, the sun would emerge. Thus, we descended into the depths of Azur, which was recommended to us by a startling young artist we’d met among a throng of stray cats.
First Azur was opened in 2010 in Zhuhai, China by Chef Vedran Perojevic. Two years later, Vedran decided to come back to his hometown and brings flavors of Asia into Dubrovnik, and the whole concept of “Mediterranean cuisine with an Asian twist” was born. Azur Vision
Louise opened with pork belly as well as chicken and chorizo tacos. Sadly, this was a Lenten Friday and in order to make up for an array of other sins, I tried to be a good Catholic. No meat for me, alas. But I can tell by the look on Louise’s face and the slow deliberate way in which she chomped on this masterful dish, that it was to die for. She didn’t die, in case you were wondering.
St Nick went for the salmon. Now as I don’t care for fish, I couldn’t tell you how it tasted. But I did try the vegetables which were a revalation. It was as though they were cooked just for me, and that is what I aim for in my cooking. St Nick kept muttering his signature phrase “superb” under his breath, so I could see he was enjoying the salmon.
Suberb
St Nicholas Jenkins
Now here comes my dish. The famed amaranth and zucchini balls in coconut curry sauce. There is a notice on the menus asking you not to add anything to the dishes because the chef aims to make them as balanced as possible. They succeeded flawlessly with the zucchini balls. Observe how finely the chilli is shredded. The consistency of the zucchini balls themselves was soft as anything. I felt as though I was biting into a dream, the concluding euphoria of which was found when dipping it in some of the coconut sauce. What a treat indeed! I cannot recommend this enough.
Dessert was another achievement. Azur’s Baklava is something to watch out for. Wonderfully moist and seeping cinnamon. The layers of chopped nuts were held together by the most sensational syrup. A dish not to be missed.
Conversely, a dish which would be missed is the coconut tapioca. There wasn’t much flavour there and the consistency was a tad sickly for me. I would say in its defence that I had not had one before and am unlikely to ever have it again. So it might well have been divine for tapioca lovers, but not for me.
Overall, Azur is a restaurant of undeniable and overwhelming quality. The prowess of the chefs and the attentiveness of the waiters go a long way. They made a strong impression on this blogger. It is rare to be treated this well in a restaurant. If you’re in Dubrovnik and find yourself craving something a little more high brow, Azur is the place for you.