Belly dancing its way to the top of the Mediterranean marketplace, Del’Aziz has served up a fifth branch of its burgeoning restaurant chain.

The Venue
Enshrouded in the obscure enclave that is Bermondsey Square, there’s nothing easy about walking to Del’Aziz – not if you’re coming from London Bridge anyway. You’re best off going to Borough station because walking down Bermondsey Street seems like it takes a lifetime. And aside from a few boarded up warehouses blighting the scenery you’ll have to resist a number of enticing eateries on your way to the square.

The venue itself harnesses the tried and tested, traditional Mediterranean emblems of copper tables, pink velvet curtains and faded green chairs. The delicatessen is awash with fresh fruit, cold meats, chutneys, chillies, sweets and sauces whilst the on-site bakery stocks a multitude of creamy cakes, breads and pastries. With no dessert menu, sweet toothed customers may be swayed to purchase something from the gift shop on the way to the bakery – a clever ploy. Hand-painted ceramic plates, Mediterranean cookbooks and a truckload of tagines are just some of the items that might catch your eye.

The layout is certainly one of the restaurant’s strengths in that each area is intertwined with the next. Only the raised cocktail lounge bar makes an announcement of itself – cloaked behind pink velvet curtains it’s reminiscent of a boudoir with its airy ambience and mirrored ceilings. Otherwise, the centrality of the bar gives it cockpit status whilst the restaurant, gift shop and deli seep seamlessly into one another.

The Atmosphere
A visit to Del’Aziz constitutes an evening of two halves – Del’Aziz BBD (before belly dancer) and Del’Aziz ABD (after belly dancer). On the whole, the staff are excellent. For a start, they seem to multiply by the hour so food arrives swiftly and they have an infectious, youthful enthusiasm that spreads through the restaurant like wildfire, cheering the guests with heart-warming innocence and easy charm.

But when the sun sets and the lights dim, they seem to morph into lascivious Lotharios – ramping up the baseline on the sound system, frolicking at the bar and winking at one another. It’s a sudden shift in mood that cuts through the otherwise sophisticated serenity like a knife through butter and yet the restaurant straddles this temporary transformation with ease, setting a new agenda for the evening and stirring the rabble rousers into action. For those of a more delicate disposition, there’s plenty of room to sit in the deli and enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or an iced bun.

The Food
Whisking Greek, Moroccan, Turkish and Lebanese specialties into the melting pot, Del’Aziz factors in all manner of Mediterranean influences. Hot and cold meze represent the tapas-style starters on offer, served in little bowls and perfect for sharing. Aside from the usual suspects – tzatziki, marinated olives and vegetable kebab – sahanaki (£5.00) is a safe bet. Soft, sauteed tiger prawns are found swimming in a wonderfully moreish creamy tomato sauce infused with coriander and finished with Greek feta. The cheese is warm and mellow if a little insubstantial and typifies this simple and heartwarming dish. The unassuming falafel (£4.50) is the Middle Eastern equivalent of the onion bhaji – an archetypal ball of reliability and this offering subscribes to that viewpoint. Served with a cold and refreshing salsa of herbs and couscous these crispy croquettes are everything they should be – light, tender and tasty. A squirt of lemon, a lick of lime or a creamy sauce would have taken the dish to the next level but otherwise, it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Mains comprise of three distinctive sections – food from the charcoal grill, food from the hob and oven and the burgers. Tiger prawn kebab with chilli and lime (from the charcoal) is the single most expensive dish on the menu (excluding the platters) and at £18 has a lot to do to justify its value. One thing the restaurant can’t be faulted for is portions – they’re chuffing huge. These titanic prawns are massive but they’ve got brains as well as brawn, melting effortlessly into your mouth. They come served with a side of spicy sauteed potatoes, though there are other options – namely Persian jeweled rice and steamed seasonal greens. Rocket and parmesan salad makes for a placid antidote to the swashbuckling fizz of lime, chilli and harissa.

The hob section offers up some real humdingers, none more so than couscous royal with chicken, lamb and merguez sausages and for £12.50 it’s excellently priced. Another huge dish (half the portion would have done the trick), it’s a riot of flavour with char grilled, barbecued chicken butting heads with pink North African merguez sausages that match the decor and a lovely slice of slow cooked lamb – it’s tender but has just enough solidity and resistance to give it some texture and bite. This mountain of meat is served of on a bed of couscous and adorned with vegetables – onion, leeks and the like. This seemingly simple undergarment gives the meat a real rustic grounding and is a perfect foil for the fireworks taking place at the top of the dish.

There’s no dessert menu at Del’Aziz but if you’ve any space left then you can sashay over to the bakery section and partake in some senseless indulgence. The chocolate brownie is beyond a bargain at £3.95 but needlessly large while a slice of cake (apple, banana, chocolate) is so big that it could easily fill all the party bags for the guests at a 10-year-olds birthday party.

The Drink
Unsurprisingly, there are some Mediterranean additions to the wine list though the Moroccan and Lebanese offerings tend to be a tad expensive and range from £18.50 to £32. Otherwise Del’Aziz offers wines (whites and reds) from Italy, Spain, France and Portugal so there’s plenty of choice. As ever, the Pinot Grigio (white wine) is something you can bet your house on and it’s worth getting a bottle for £15 as £5.50 for a glass seems a little pricey. If you’re planning a special occasion and looking to push the boat out then there’s a generous list of Champagnes and cavas priced between £17 and £120 though only the Prosecco is served by the glass. Cocktails (£5.90) and juices (£3.80 - £4.50) are also on offer and if you’re out with your friends you won’t look out of place with a pitcher (£16.50).

The Last Word
If you can brave the Bermondsey Street marathon then it’s worth sauntering in to this sizable restaurant. With sturdy starters and super-sized mains it’s as close as London’s likely to get to a Marrakesh marketplace.

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