Delicious Australia - (10)October 2020

THEREAREMANYreasonstogetexcitedaboutEzra,Sydney'snewTelAviv-inspired

restaurant.Thebiggestis thegenerosityofIsraelihospitality,andthenthere'sformer

PaperBirdheadchefBenSears(pictured,farleft,withEzraownersNickandKirk

Mathews-Bowden)whois settotakeonthevibrantsideofLevantinefood."Themenu

reflectshowyoumighteatin TelAviv– lightsnacks,flatbreadswithvariousmezze,and

anabundanceofsaladsandheftiervegetables,"saysSears. Plus, its Mediterranean roots

meansa gooddealofseafoodcookedovercharcoal.

AfteryearsofcookingKoreanandJapanesefoodatMoonParkandPaperBird,Sears

initiallyfoundthetransitiontoIsraelifare"alittledaunting.ButthemoreI lookedinto

andreadaboutthefoodscenein TelAviv,themoreI realisedhowdynamicand

pluralisticit is,"hesays.It'scertainlygivenSearsplentyofroomtoexplore,evidentin the

recipeshere.Theroastedfish,forinstance,featuresflavoursfrombothregions."The

flatheadin chickpeamisoincorporates ideas from Japan and Israel without seeming like

asillyorforcedfusion."

Butofcourse,there'llbefavouritespoppinguponplates– hummus,falafelsand

couscous."Ezrais allaboutapproachable,housemade food. It's not re-imagined or

deconstructed, it's elevated by respect."

@ezrarestaurant

Bakedcauliflower,

haloumi,burnt

honey& za'atar

(recipe p 112).

GUEST CHEF.