Samantha S.
Yelp
The motto (in Hebrew!) on one wall translates as something like: "A meal together is the oil of friendship." Bazar is not the best Middle Eastern food you'll ever eat, nor the most "authentic" or refined. But it's loud, brash, colorful, and fun--truly devoted to enjoying time together.
The interior is striking, reason enough to wade through the trash at the Albert Cuyp market outside. It's a riot of color and noise. Kids run up and down the stairs (just fine, as no one can hear them) while their parents relax with a beer nearby. There's plenty of room for groups. The high-ceilinged space can get warm and noisy. Even with all that, the ambiance is stylish and comfortable.
The food is mostly fine. The basic sigara is big and crisp, with good feta inside. We ordered one of the popular combinations, with lamb, as an entree to share. It was an almost insane amount of food. Dangerous-looking skewers over a massive bowl of rice, plus tabouli salad, pickles, a small pot of lamb stew, and yogurt sauce. Oh, and frites, for some reason. (I would have preferred pita, lavash, or the fluffy Turkish-style bread I saw at other tables.)
The vegetables on the skewers were great, but there was only one (!) piece of lamb, and it was almost impossible to chew. It really didn't matter, as the lamb stew was delicious. I hope that skewer was a mistake from the kitchen, and not some restaurant policy. (All the meat is halal, according to the menu.)
The service is sweet and efficient. The host downstairs is super-enthusiastic, eager to tell you about the new Bazar offerings in Rotterdam. You know, we had such fun here that I might just check it out on our next trip.
