Ajja — Restaurant in Raleigh

Ajja has been on my list for awhile now and I am happy to have gone last night. I have read countless reviews and I will agree- it is very good. But, it was not knock-your-socks-off amazing. I enjoyed the meal but I must say, the dessert stole the show. Flies did kinda take away from the ambience - but I get it, it’s summer in Raleigh and we ate on the coveted patio. I’ll go through what we ordered:

htipiti: the whipped feta that reminded me of pimento cheese. Really enjoyed but it was a very small serving for $11 (9/10)

assorted pickles: good I am a pickle lover and just wanted to try them (7/10)

spinach and cheese sfiha: (not pictured) tasty but not as cheesy as the title suggests. I thought it was very acidic and I don’t know if I loved the addition of pickled mushrooms (again I love pickles it was just a bit much, didn’t feel like those flavors meld together) (6/10)

coffee roasted carrots: tasty but nothing spectacular. I wanted more flavor on these. (6/10)

charred cabbage & broccoli: this one was extremely unique. Again very acidic but I reallly enjoyed the flavors. The porcini tehina balanced out the acid but there wasn’t enough of it imo, the mushroom 'nuoc cham' was really what elevated this dish! It had an Asian infused flavor that was enjoyable. This dish would have been addictive if the acidity was toned down a hair (7/10)

lamb seekh: saw this on many reviews. Very tender but did get some questionably chewy bits. The flavor was very good though. The accoutrements however: labneh, sweet pea chermoula, pistachio - I could have eaten by the spoonful (7/10)

blueberry posset: now this, I could bathe in. The brown butter tahini chantilly- I didn’t know how bad I needed this in my life. It was addictive. Paired so well with the blueberry, the tahini oat crumble & kataifi crunch was the perfect touch to give it some bite. (10/10 absolutely no notes) I would go just for this. Perfectly salty & sweet.

Again, I came for my birthday and it was nice. The meal was good. The dessert was great. Overall, I just wish everything was a little less acidic! Some things were almost hard to have more than a few bites of. I’m curious if anyone else has these thoughts. Next time I would get the tagine. I wish they had 1 more salad-esque dish from the market menu.. The service was awesome though! And vibes were great. There were a lot of flies though (like at one point there was probably 7-9 flies...

Overall our group of 4 had a great experience, but had a sour taste left in our mouth regarding the bread offering at this restaurant after we left. There is a recent review that expresses the same opinion. As encouraged by the waitress to share plates, we ordered the Ajja platter which includes 3 dips and bread for $28. It was brought to the table and looked great. The problem was that 3 pieces of bread were brought for a table of 4. The immediately put us in a situation where we needed to ask for more bread. At first, we only asked for one extra piece from the person who brought our food so the 4th can also share, and it was never brought to the table. We then saw our waitress and asked for a little more bread so the fourth could share. She brought over two more pieces in a new basket. Ok great, everyone can eat now. The platters were portioned as I expected for the price, but more bread was still required to finish the dish. The waitress kindly offered more bread to us noticing we need more. We accepted. The third basket included three pieces of bread. We now had too much bread, but no problem.

When our bill came, we were a bit surprised to see two additional charges of $5 each for the additional bread. I found this to be a little cheap from the restaurant. One, don’t encourage people to share plates and then make it hard to share. Had there been 4 pieces of bread to start, perhaps requesting and paying for one more basket wouldn’t have left bothered us, but we were left in an awkward position from the start. Second, don’t offer more bread and act like you’re providing a nice gesture and service, then go and immediately add it to the bill without mentioning it’s extra cost on an already $28 appetizer. Third, provide consistent amounts of bread in each basket. We wouldn’t have needed the third basket, had the second basket had three like the others.

Seems like offering enough bread, which is most likely a minor cost, would go a long way with your guests. This really shouldn’t happen and if the policy is to remain, it would be good to inform your guests that you’re going to get way more dip than you can eat with the bread provided and bread will be an additional cost if you need more. It felt like shady service.

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Restaurant Review: Ajja – Raleigh NC

I have been searching high and low in the Raleigh-Durham area for a restaurant that I could truly say has it all, with no reservations. Ajja is the first to fall into this category – from Ambience, Staff, and Culinary Creations – the restaurant has now raised the bar, challenging local restaurants to really push the envelope.

Over the past 20 years, I have traveled to more than 68 countries, 33 states, and six continents. Often, the restaurants that truly rank higher are those you least expect. Restaurants that are set in more "local" areas, peculiar places, or just not in the typical outside setting that you would think when thinking of 5-star or Michelin-level culinary experiences.

Ajja is nestled in the heart of the Five Points residential area, across the street from old-style craftsman homes. Walking up to the restaurant it presents an inviting local vibe, welcoming friends, family, and couples to come together in an environment where you feel free to talk, laugh, and enjoy the company you're with.

The service was on point. The waitress brought excitement, personality, positive energy, and knowledge that allowed us to enjoy the overall experience with our family truly.

We started with some of their curated cocktails, followed by a series of amazing dishes, including the Trout Dip, Ajja Mezze Platter, Sweet Potato & Peanut Masabacha, Charred Cabbage and Broccoli, BBQ'd Short Ribs, and the Whole Fried Trout.

Rather than going dish by dish – my broad overview is that Ajja has taken some classic foods and really pushed the envelope with flavors and ingredients that create a culinary journey in your mouth that goes beyond amazing. There wasn’t a single dish that disappointed, even when combining flavors that you wouldn’t necessarily think would work well together.

If you're looking for a culinary experience that truly makes the evening unforgettable, you must try...