| About: | Art Deco colors in oxblood and black are used to create this sleek contemporary space with dramatic lighting design and clean, spare lines. Chefs Jody Denton and Donnie Masterson take classic French cuisine and give it an Asian flair, serving imaginative dishes such as Oysters with Sake, Red Curry Braised Duck with Coconut Risotto, and Wasabi-Sesame Crusted Halibut. The service is professional and the wine list is excellent - the restaurant has been named one of the best in the United States by 'Food & Wine Magazine'. Opens Mondays to Thursday from 5:30PM & on Fridays to Saturdays from 5PM. |
| Hours: | Dinner Mon.-Thurs. 5:30-10 p.m. and until 11 p.m. Fri., and 5-11 p.m. Sat., until 10 p.m. Sun. |
| Categories: | Chinese Restaurants, Seafood Restaurants, Fusion Restaurants, French Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, International Restaurants, Southeast Asian Restaurants, Restaurants, American Restaurants |
| Parking: | Valet |
| Payment: | MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, Diners Club |
| Specialities: | Dim Lights, Music |
| Amenities: | Award Winning, Business Lunches, Catering Outside, Daily Specials, Live Music, Parking, Prixe-Fixe Menu, Reservations |
| Cuisine: | American, Asian, Business, Contemporary, French, French Asian, Fusion, Pacific Rim |
| Ambiance: | Elegant, Romantic |
| Feature: | Bar, Entertainment, Great Wine List, Private Rooms |
| Reservations Policy: | Suggested |
| Smoking: | No Smoking |
| Price: | $20 - $30 |
| Other Contact Info: | Fax: 415 538 0916 Email: azie@restaurantlulu.com |
Azie is my favorite restaurant in the city. As a Mid-westener, I am very picky. Especially when it comes to foreign cuisine, but my tastebuds were absolutely blown away by the unique blending of flavors and the exquisite sauces. The atmosphere is very apeasing, but my attention was continuously drawn to the open view of the amazingly talented line cooks preparing the meals (noteably the adorable pantry/sautee chef)!
New chef Yo Matsuzaki presents delicious and innovative combinations. I was reluctant to order the green curry duck. We have Thai all the time. But his version of curry had a Chinese flair to it--hints of anise and cinnamon--made the best curry I've had in a long time. Another thing we enjoyed was his use of spice. I usually shy away from jalapenos as too spicy, but enjoyed three dishes with the peppers and thought the heat was perfect! First was the sashimi of the day. Japan-born Matsuzaki uses the sashimi to offer daily variety. I can't remember what type of fish we had, but each was crowned with a tiny circle of pepper and it was perfect! Also excellent: spicy shrimp small plate, seafood wontons. Beef small plate came as skewers of beef and green onion, with sauteed onion underneath and mayonaise. Classic taste pairing with a hint of Asian marinade and melt-in-your mouth beef. The short ribs are a signature of the restaurant that predates the current chef, as is the salted calamari. We didn't try the calamari, but the ribs were excellent. Also excellent was the cod. Matsuzaki says he plans to bring fresh items to the menu soon, keeping the good crowd of regulars happy. The atmosphere is lovely. Upstairs area can be reserved for a private party, which we have also experienced.
really nice, hip, restaurant & bar. 3 of us had a chance to get the table upstairs. we enjoyed the fusion food while checking out the bar & ppl downstairs ;D