Mid-East feast

Hot and cold mezzes rule at Kaza Maza

by MATHILDE RABBAT

Those of you who thought that the now defunct Taouk, on Parc in the Mile-End, had left the area without a Middle Eastern eatery will be over the moon to hear that a far superior resto has set up shop a couple of blocks further south. Kaza Maza is its name, and hot and cold mezzes are its game.

Punters seem to be taking notice of the understated space, a former stamp store, that’s been renovated almost entirely by its new owners. A long counter top, several tables and light fixtures have been fashioned from wood flooring, preserving something from the old establishment. Evidence of the renovations is prominently displayed in photos that track the making of the young resto on the walls. The aim of the owners was to create a cozy cultural resto/café, a place to chill while sampling a blend of (mostly) Syrian and Lebanese fare with an occasional twist.

Pita and olives, de rigueur when prepping for mezze, were the first to make it to the table. The Syrian green olives were subtly detectable with a hint of sweet but refreshing rose water drizzle, or something akin to it.

I’ve always been a fan of tapas-type dining, or in this case mezze-style noshing, precisely because it allows for a sampling of a variety of dishes. Kaza Maza is well suited to such a meal as the menu is made up almost exclusively of both cold and warm mezzes. My strategy—the reverse of which could be used to describe some people’s relationships—was simple: begin cold and end hot. Individual cold mezzes ($5–7) can be ordered separately, or as part of a special “formats dégustation” incorporating an even two ($7), four ($12) or six ($16) appetizers. In addition, $20 will fetch you half a dozen entrées, plus a choice of either arugula or fattouch salads.

Fans of fattouch would no doubt agree that the latter was everything it should be, and more: fresh tomatoes, romaine greens, red, green and yellow pepper, cucumber, slivers of radish, red onion, parsley, mint and, above all, a right dose of sumac and those all important crispy fried pita chips.

Moving on to the cold mezze spreads, a colourful sprinkle of Aleppo chili pepper provides a smooth and basic hummus with a hint of feisty pizzazz. A more powerful, full-bodied baba ghanoush was replete with bold smoky overtones permeating chunks of grilled aubergine in a tahini base, combined with yogurt, garlic and an effective twist of lemon, and adorned with a parsley garnish and vibrant whole pomegranate seeds, for dramatic effect.

Speaking of the fruit of the gods, an impressive thick muhammara, with grenadine and Aleppo pepper, hit all the right notes with its spicy twang and walnut and pine nut topping. A stimulating and somewhat sweet, pretty beet mutabbal—with tahini, cooked sliced beets, lemon, parsley and olive oil stole the show.

Besides the satisfying dips discussed above, the cold mezze category also features less scoopable concoctions, like moussaka and basturma. The eatery’s tasty interpretation of moussaka revolves around stewed eggplant, red pepper, tomato and onion, wading in a tomato-based reduction; a cold stew of sorts topped with a blob of thick yogurt. A no-frills basturma mezze (typical of Armenian cuisine, but widely enjoyed in many parts of the Middle East), a couple of thin slices of cured lean filet mignon, covered in a flavourful shaman (paste composed of garlic and spicy pepper), was superior in texture and flavour, decidedly more refined than most I’ve sampled.

The warm mezzes managed to live up to the calibre of their cold counterparts. The burghoul outer shell of the fried kibbeh may envelop a choice of either beef, chicken or a delightful vegetarian stuffing featuring a mild spinach filling, providing a worthy alternative to meaty innards. Hummus must, of course, be slathered on any and all kibbeh for maximum effect.

If you’re looking to sample something equally original, but slightly more stimulating, try the well-executed pistachio kefta, an interesting variation on regular kefta with the shelled nut incorporated into a minced beef, lamb and pine nut mixture; in short, a creatively executed dish worthy of praise, like virtually all other ones sampled at this quaint new joint.