Assida

Assida here was solidly made — boldly spiced and warming without anything to complain about. harissa chilli paste was present and handled reasonably. But something was missing from the depth that this dish should have. Tunisia is the world's third largest olive oil producer and olive oil underpins …

I had never tried Assida before this visit and I wasn't sure what to expect. The bright with preserved lemon taste hit immediately and made sense of the dish in a way descriptions never quite do. preserved lemon is an ingredient I'd not encountered used quite like this before. The a family couscous…

I was looking forward to Assida here based on the reputation. The reality was disappointing. The bright with preserved lemon character that makes this dish special was muted — either from shortcuts with harissa chilli paste or from scaling up production at the expense of quality. Tunisian cuisine i…

The best Assida I've ever had came from a street stall, not a restaurant. The boldly spiced and warming intensity was completely different — more direct and uncompromised. preserved lemon was used without hesitation, the way it should be. Tunisia is the world's third largest olive oil producer and …

Assida rarely gets the international recognition it deserves. The fiery and aromatic complexity is genuine, not simple, and the technique involved in using harissa chilli paste correctly takes real skill. Tunisian cuisine is the spiciest of the Maghreb cuisines thanks to the importance of harissa. …

Assida opened a door into a cuisine I'd previously known almost nothing about. The deeply savoury flavours are unlike anything in my usual rotation and I mean that positively. Tunisian cuisine is the spiciest of the Maghreb cuisines thanks to the importance of harissa. Understanding that context mad…

I first ate Assida on a trip five years ago and have been searching for a version this good ever since. This restaurant finally delivered the boldly spiced and warming quality I remembered. harissa chilli paste was handled correctly — something most restaurants here get slightly wrong. Tunisian cui…

Some dishes exist to comfort and Assida is absolutely in that category. The boldly spiced and warming quality works on something almost primal — you feel the warmth of it immediately. preserved lemon does work that no substitute can replicate. Tunisia is the world's third largest olive oil producer…

I spent three months trying every version of Assida I could find locally. The variation in quality is extraordinary. The best version handled dried rose petals with genuine knowledge and the bright with preserved lemon result was noticeably superior. Tunisia is the world's third largest olive oil p…

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Assida. I ordered it with Celtia beer and the boldly spiced and warming elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. preserved lemon in particular became more prominent in a good way. Tunisian cuisine is the spiciest of the M…