Zula Bistro — Restaurant in Lisbon

During our visit to the Near Eastern Bistrot in Lisbon, there were three of us, enjoying the outdoor seating. It's worth noting that this place is fairly new on the scene, and the staff proficiently communicated in English

Now, the details: Drinks: We decided to kick things off with a glass of skin contact orange wine. A somewhat unfortunate start, as the waiter presented an almost empty bottle without checking the wine. It appeared murky and emitted a sharp aroma, indicating that it might have gone bad. Upon tasting it, our suspicions were confirmed – it was undrinkable. Fortunately, the staff swiftly replaced it with a fresh and enjoyable bottle of the same wine

Food: The pita bread with rye was a letdown; it arrived cold when it should've been hot and fresh. The presentation scored high marks, but the taste left much to be desired – a 3 out of 5

Labneh with quinoa popcorn and lime zest, accompanied by olives, leaned on the sour side, which wasn't quite to my liking. Again, presentation-wise, it shone, but taste-wise, it landed at a 3 out of 5

Mohammara, featuring red bell peppers, pecans, vanilla, and basil, erred on the side of sweetness, despite the waiter recommending it when we were seeking something spicy. It looked exquisite, but taste-wise, it garnered a 3 out of 5

The falafel dish was with five generously sized balls, a bit too thick on the outside, complemented by a flavorful yogurt sauce and marinated cucumber slices. I didn’t hate this one, earning it a 4 out of 5 for taste and a 5 out of 5 for presentation

The aubergine schnitzel served with creamy quinoa, spinach, and cherry tomatoes was a delightful surprise, with impeccable flavor balance. It exceeded expectations, meriting a remarkable 6 out of 5 for taste and a solid 4 out of 5 for presentation

Beef tartare with garlic tahini sauce, zaatar, marinated cucumber, and dranniki (small potato pancakes) presented a mixed experience. The meat itself was good, but the combination of ingredients left something to be desired, earning it a 3 out of 5 for taste and a 2 out of 5 for presentation

Finally, the salmon tartare with Iraqi sauce amba, paired with quinoa popcorn, was a puzzle to the palate. The combination of salmon and the mix of sour, sweet, and spicy flavors didn't quite harmonize, leaving the fish virtually undetectable. Taste-wise, it settled at a 2 out of 5, and the presentation left something to be desired, scoring just a 1 out of 5

To our disappointment, when we returned the last dish, the waiter merely suggested something else and didn't remove it from the bill. A less-than-pleasant ending to an otherwise mixed dining experience ☹️

To sum it up, our visit to the Near Eastern Bistrot in Lisbon was a bit of a rollercoaster. While some dishes truly impressed with their flavors and presentation, others left us wanting more.

We hope that as this new establishment finds its footing, it will refine its menu and service to consistently match its potential. Wishing them the best of luck on their culinary...

Went for dinner tonight with a group of my girlfriends. We sat outside and the ambience was lovely. Restaurants who don’t play loud music are hard to find. It allowed a lovely conversation in our group, so much that we stayed for 4 hours only to realize we were literally the last people there and the staff kindly and patiently waited for us. They never rushed us, even though we felt rude for losing track of time. They were so gracious. Every plate we had was absolutely delicious! A party in my mouth! The service was impeccable and genuinely friendly, not fake friendly. Special thanks to Carolina, Ines and Juan and our other waiter who didn’t get his name- but you all made our night so great! The chef himself came out and helped to serve our main dishes. I thought that was cool! We had falafel, halloumi/watermelon, muhammara, falafel, the chicken and lamb. And mascarpone with figs for dessert. All so good! I will...

One of the few restaurants in Lisbon that I love!!  This is exactly the place where you should have dinner after a busy walk around the city.  Very tasty and elegant!  Quite ordinary dishes at first glance turn out to be a magnificent combination of traditional Middle Eastern cuisine with the chef’s original ideas.  This is practically an original cuisine! The wonderful warm atmosphere of the restaurant is given by a team of excellent waiters.  Special thanks to Danya and Yura!  The guys are well versed in the menu, food and wine pairings, and their desire to help with difficult choices (believe me, it’s not easy to choose between muhammara, eggplant schnitzel and za'atar chicken!!) will make you not regret the tips 😉 If you want the perfect end to your evening in Lisbon, try Zula Bistro.  And you will definitely come back here more than once!

PS: guys, how do you water these stunning flowers under the...