Ezra Restaurant
Step into Ezra restaurant in Potts Point where the electric and cosmopolitan dining scene of Tel Aviv has been authentically recreated.
Words: Hande Renshaw | Photography: Nikki To
The Ezra Paloma cocktail: tequila, lime and grapefruit with a sumac and paprika-salt rim. Photo - Nikki To.
The Gilda Radner, named after its New York roots; salmon pastrami, olive and pickled chilli. Photo - Nikki To.
It was on an impromptu trip to Tel Aviv in 2014 when Ezra restaurant owners Kirk and Nick Mathews-Bowden got completely swept away with the vibrant and electric city. After spending time absorbing all the city had to offer, the pair decided that a restaurant drawing on its incredible qualities was something they needed to bring to the Sydney dining scene.
“We were sitting down to a meal in Tel Aviv at what has now become one of our favourite restaurants, North Abraxas, and just sparked up the conversation about how fantastic this style of cuisine could be back home,” says Nick. The idea was put on the back-burner for a few years while the pair worked in some of Sydney’s most acclaimed restaurants, the last of which they co-owned; French brasserie Bistro Rex in Potts Point.
At Ezra, they’ve teed up with well-respected chef Ben Sears, of Moon Park and Paper Bird fame, who takes the helm in the open-plan kitchen. The Levantine-inspired menu includes next-level hummus, baklava ice-cream sandwiches and a personal favourite for the owners, the macadamia murramurra dip, paired with a baked Jerusalem bagel, lightly brushed with pomegranate molasses. Lucky for us, Ezra has shared the dip recipe below.
The restaurant includes Al fresco dining in the front and back courtyards, ideal for sipping cocktails on balmy summer evenings . Photo - Nikki To.
“Tel Aviv is such a cosmopolitan city and that very much translates through to the food.”
The interior was designed by Nick and Kirk’s good friend, New York-based designer Rosie Rainbow. Photo - Nikki To.
Spanner crab falafel with avocado and tahini. Photo - Nikki To.
“The city swept us away. There’s a real electricity in the air with so many young people opening a huge variety of creative shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. ”
“We wanted to create a space that felt like entering someone’s home, so you feel both transported away and at the same time at ease and comfortable”, says Nick Mathews-Bowden. Photo - Nikki To.
MACADAMIA MUHAMARRA
Serves 6-8
Our current favourite dish from the menu is the macadamia murramurra paired with a Jerusalem bagel, which is baked rather than boiled then lightly brushed with pomegranate molasses. Muramurra is a spiced peppered dip traditionally prepared with walnuts - we’ve replaced the walnuts with macadamias with a sprinkling of pomegranates on top. You get a little heat, a little crunch and then a sweet pop every now and then as you find the pomegranate.
INGREDIENTS
350 g capsicums which have been grilled, peeled and drained of excess water. This recipes takes 1 kg of raw capsicum. If we were making it at home we would probably substitute with cans of grilled and peeled capsicum.
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated on a microplane
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
40 g lemon juice
30 g extra virgin olive oil
140 g macadamia, lightly toasted
40 g tahini
40 g pomegranate molasses
65 g honey
6 g salt
METHOD
Process ingredients in a blender until well combined. Try not to process too much, it’s nicer when it still has some texture.
Garnish with a generous sprinkling of freshly ground coffee,the fresh seeds of one pomegranate, some more quality olive oil and a little bit more salt flakes.
Serve with warm bread. The dip will last in the fridge for at least a couple of days.