First Look: Aalia’s Most Hotly Requested Dishes Return at the Wine Room Next Door

The short wait is over. Aalia Wine Room has entered Sydney’s dining scene.

“It was always something we wanted,” executive chef Paul Farag says, referencing the glass-fronted space that neighbours the namesake Middle Eastern dining room.

Four years after opening Aalia, opportunity arose and the team got its hands on the keys to the Martin Place address. “It’s the perfect gateway to the world of Aalia.”

The two-level site was once a florist. Now, it’s wrapped in the same wood treatment as the main dining room, designed by architect Matt Darwon. High-top tables bring an easy energy to the ground floor. Upstairs, carpeted floors and loungey banquettes amp things up, delivering date-night vibes and the perfect spot for a moody nightcap.

The kitchen at Aalia services both venues – but you shouldn’t expect the same menu. “We want to have the flexibility to change the [wine bar] menu quite frequently,” says Farag. “Adding things as they come about and playing around with dishes you really want to eat while drinking.”

The chef brings a whole-beast mentality to his cooking – and he’s inventive with the offcuts. A beloved Murray cod masgouf (an Iraqi dish of butterflied fish that’s slow-grilled over an open fire) graces the menu at Aalia. In the Wine Room, he’s pickling the kokotxas (fish throats) and serving them with tamarind and Aleppo pepper for the ultimate drinking snack, while the wings go towards a lunch-special shawarma. “It’s a bit about going back to my origins of cooking. I like to use all the parts and labour of an animal and turn them into something new.”

And while newness is definitely a talking point in the 42-seat bar, fans of Aalia will notice familiar flavours – Farag and his team are bringing back dishes that have been hotly requested after leaving the à la carte menu next door. For one, there’s the lamb hawawshi, an Egyptian street food classic. And there are whispers of the sujuk-stuffed artichoke reappearing soon.

“I know Aalia can sometimes be intimidating to people with the style of cuisine and the verbiage used within the menu. This is about being able to remove the stigma and just have a lot of fun with it, making it really accessible to people.”

A lunch menu adds Farag’s take on a cheeseburger, that fish shawarma and steak frites, while night-time goes big on snacks (like quail egg Gildas, fattoush-topped crackers and that standout Khorasan bread to support a spread of share plates).

The wine list is the work of sommelier Sarah O’Dwyer. It features 235 bottles from local and international producers, including 31 available by the glass. A balanced but inventive approach means Aalia Wine Room is a place primed for new discoveries. Plus, there’ll be tasting events,  bringing a cellar door to the CBD.

“There’s some pretty weird and wacky wines that they’ve put together,” Farag says. A tight list of Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails also complements the atmosphere. “I’d love to see people coming in for lunch, coming in for happy hour. We want to make sure that people have a great time in a beautiful space – it really has one of the best views of Martin Place.”

Aalia Wine Room
25 Martin Place, CBD

Hours:
Tue to Fri midday–2.30pm, 5.30pm–9pm
Sat 5pm–9.30pm

aaliawineroom.com/wine-room
@aaliawineroom