I personally never had Azerbaijani food, and so I really was not sure whether I was going to be a fan or not. I basically walked in Baku blindly. But I couldn't help but regain my vision as Baku's interiors are a gift to any eyes! Beautiful interiors using traditional Azerbaijani decor elements to help create an authentic Bakili experience. Brick walls, hanging decorative plates, traditional beautiful carpets and gorgeous furniture and furnishings; the interiors of Bake Cafe is truly outstanding. As an interior designer myself, I have to give credit where credit is due, and Baku Cafe certainly deserves this credit for having such true-to-self interiors.
Opened in October 2017, Baku Cafe in City Walk is actually branch from Azerbaijan. They carried the 'cafe' title as their main branch in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a cafe. However, the branch in City Walk is a full-on restaurant, with a large kitchen and even larger seating area which can host huge groups of people in one table.
I dined here for lunch on a weekday and although City Walk is usually quite empty during those hours, I was surprised to see that Bake Cafe had some full tables here and there. Some of which with large families, friends and business meetings? I think?. Overall, it was a good indication that Baku Cafe will live up to it's good reputation.
My waiter, who funny enough is called Azer (I can't forget it as he associated it with Azerbaijan), was truly delightful! He told me all about his beautiful country and their delicious foods. He honestly got me even more excited to eat at Baku, and consider traveling there too! He first served me with a jug of Cherry Compote, which is apparently a traditional juice usually served in Baku. The juice is basically cherries, sugar and orange juice mixed in a sauce pan and cooked over medium heat until cherries are wilted and soft. After that, they remove cherries and cook the liquid for 2 - 3 more minutes until reduced in half and thickened, they then add cherries back into the pot and stir to combined and serve to me! I process is long but worth it! This juice (I use that 'juice' term very lightly) was delicious! It was a dessert of it's own. And for only 50dhs for a whole jug (which is good for at least 3 people), I think it's definitely worth the order!
Then the food started coming. I first tried the Salad of Baku Tomatoes and Red Onion. Priced at 50dhs, this salad was very unique due to the fact that it was served with a cherry sauce dressing. This salad was simple yet delicious. I loved every bite of it and would recommend it to everyone, especially those who enjoy salads in general!
Second I had the Dushbara Soup (45dhs). This is a traditional Azerbaijani soup which consists of finely wrapped dough stuffed with lamb meat (similar to Turkish manti, but much smaller in size and severed within a soup). I personally loved this soup so much. If it's one appetizer you want to opt for, I would suggest it be the Dushbara.
I also got to try the Gyurza! This is basically the Azerbaijani dumpling. Served either boiled o fried, these lamb meat stuffed pockets of dough are delightful. I tried both the fried and boiled one and I personally enjoyed the boiled one much more, having said that, the fried one was very delicious as well! For only 60dhs, I think it is definitely worth a try!
Azer highly suggested that I also try their Qutab. The thing I can relate it to the most is (maybe) a quesadilla, but not quite. The bread is much thinner and lighter, and the filling is much lighter as well. For the fillings, you have a choice to choose between greens (vegitables), meat, pumpkin or a cheese filling. For only 8dhs each, these are the perfect snack to have alongside (or before) any meal. I tried the meat one and the greens one and both were delicious. Light, airy, and flavorful triangles, loved every bite!
I also couldn't help but try the Traditional Azerbaijani Dolma. It's very similar to what we know as the 'wara2 3anab, or vine leaves', but these dolmas are much more 'stuffed' and are actually considered as a main course, rather than an appetizer or snack. For 89dhs, these dolmas are basically soft grape leaves which are stuffed with lamb meat, coriander and fresh mint. They are served warm and would make a great main course, although I have to admit, I still prefer the Arabic vine leaves.
For my main course, I had Bustrurme Veal. And although I am not a big fan of veal in general, this dish was quite satisfying. It was indeed filling, the marinated meat was tasty and as a meat lover, I truly did enjoy this meal very much. My second main course was the Lamb Govurma, and although I personally did not enjoy it as much as the Busturme Veal, it was indeed a stunning-looking dish! The presentation of the dish as a whole looked really beautiful; a pan of meat mixed in with cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, roasted potatoes, mushrooms and green leaves. It was colorful, beautiful, and so instagrammable! If you want a picturesque dish, this is the dish to go for!
For desserts, I ordered the Paklava alongside some Azerbaijani tea. Now I must admit, the Paklava was good but nowhere near as good as the ones I'm use to from back home. Having said that, the Azerbaijani tea is absolutely delicious!! They served it alongside these sugary ADDICTIVE olives and it was love at first bite! These sweetened olives are seriously to die for! I honestly can't wait to go back to Baku especially because of these olives! So delicious, so unique and complemented the tea so perfectly! Its a match made in heaven, and I was truly in heaven when sipping on the Azerbaijani tea and munching on these sweet olives!
Having tried all these delicious meals, I can confidently say that the Azerbaijani cuisine is indeed a delicious one and highly worth trying. If you're a fan of Turkish food, you will most definitely love Azerbaijani food as they are somewhat similar yet different. If you consider yourself a meat lover (like I do), you will be able to tell the difference in the taste of the meat; meat from Istanbul somehow tastes different from the Bakili meat. Both very delicious and both are a must-try!
Overall, I highly recommend giving Baku Cafe a try. I really enjoyed my time there and I look forward to my next visit, which will certainly be soon!
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