Even if you’re not a vegetarian, Za Za Ta should jump to the top of your list of Brisbane restaurants you need to visit. The flagship restaurant of Ovolo The Valley, Za Za Ta and its bar bestie neighbour Bar Kazba provide creative cocktails, moreish morsels and plenty of cosy yet vibrant atmosphere.
With the warmer months upon us, Za Za Ta recently launched their fresh new menu full of bountiful ingredients to make up earthy and homely Middle Eastern Israeli inspired plant-based cuisine.
And as much as I am normally quite the carnivore, I couldn’t pass up the chance to sample some of the fine fare of Brisbane’s best vegetarian restaurant (seriously, they came in at no. 26 in the recent Delicious 100 awards, the highest veg listing in the whole city).
When we arrive we decide to grab a cocktail (or mocktail in my case, designated driver) at Kazba next door. Even without the alcohol, my Vanilla Pash (ooh er!) tastes exactly as refreshing and zingy as I hoped it would, and my friend says she’s in danger of downing her Lost in Beirut way too easily. The atmosphere is really relaxed and it’s a great way to ease into our dining experience.
After we finish our tipples we are escorted to our table next door. The decor is warm and inviting, with several different areas each featuring a distinct personality and charm. The room we are seated in is bright and airy with high ceilings, mood lighting and a jungle vista on the wall behind us. It’s ecclectic and welcoming and I feel like I’ve been transported to somewhere other than Brisbane. I love the touch of the open kitchen too, so you can see the chefs hard at work.
Our meal is A Taste of Za Za Ta, with paired wines; a degustation menu overflowing with dishes sustainably sourced and celebrating fresh produce. We opt for the option with paired wines because… well, paired wines. I ask for a tiny sip of each so I can still drive us home, but also get the paired flavours.
I still wonder if I will be full being that there is no meat on the menu, and that does normally make up a good portion of my plate.
I am, however, very eager to taste some new, exciting things that I have not only not tried before but some I haven’t even heard of before. Like the starter of halloumi doughnut with chilli jam—I’ve heard of all these things on their own, but together? A resounding yes, as it turns out. Delightfully crisp on the outside with gooey, salty cheese centre bounces off the sweetness and subtle heat of the chilli jam perfectly.
Alongside the doughnut is a sesame falafel with tahini sauce; it’s my first falafel and it’s divine. They’re both paired with a Loimer Len Riesling.
Next, we’re brought a serving of za’atar flatbread with smoked zucchini baba ghanoush with pistachio and green olives. This course also includes a serving of shish barak pumpkin dumplings with burnt butter, pine nuts and buffalo milk yoghurt. I am a sucker for carbs so the bread is an instant hit, and the baba ghanoush is flavoursome (so much so that I wish I could have a take home pack). The combo of pumpkin and burnt butter is to die for.
These are paired with a Swinging Bridge Mrs Payten Chardonnay.
Now the next dish for me was a bit of a head scratcher, not because it wasn’t amazing but because I literally don’t understand how something that is not beef could taste SO much like beef! The dish itself was Bloom providore “beef mince” stuffed pepper, with eggplant kasundi, pickled beetroot and gazpacho. I honestly kept chewing it and tasting it and rolling it around in my mouth and I couldn’t tell the difference between it and real beef. It tasted and looked incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t think they could live life without meat. Accompanying this dish were green wheat tabbouli with eschalot, cucumber, parsley and pistachio and triple cooked crispy spiced potatoes with batata harra. Honestly I am STILL DREAMING about these potatoes and probably will be until the day I die. Each dish goes well with The Pawn Sangiovese.
Confession time: the dessert is listed as dessert of the day and I was so wrapped up in tasting my food that I completely forgot to ask exactly what it was. I think it was some sort of panna cotta, with a berry granita, alongside some truly delectable rosewater Turkish Delight.
Far from my fear of being hungry, I couldn’t finish everything and almost needed to be rolled out the door. Similarly, my companion knew she made a rookie error of wearing jeans to a degustation dinner around halfway through. Luckily they packed up our leftovers in sustainable cardboard containers so we could take it all home with us.
I have already recommended Za Za Ta to several people I know who are vegetarian and even a handful who aren’t, who’d love it like me. I will definitely be going back.
And FYI: the potatoes tasted amazing for brekky the next morning.
Za Za Ta, Ovolo Hotels, 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
