Za Za Ta to spice up Ovolo in Brisbane

Middle Eastern inspired bar and kitchen Za Za Ta will open within The Emporium precinct in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, as part of designer hotel Ovolo, in August.

Interior designers Luchetti Krelle are behind the look of the 200-seat venue which sprawls into multiple rooms.

Spearheading the Za Za Ta kitchen is Israeli-born executive chef Roy Ner (ex-Nour and Aria) and head chef Dario Manca (ex-Attica and Pilu at Freshwater).

Ner and Manca have designed a shared style menu of traditional Israeli dishes across brunch, lunch and dinner. The menu will be broken into nibbles, small plates, a raw section, large plates and sides. All bread, dips, charcuterie and cheese will be made in-house, while  a late-night menu from 11pm will serve Tel Aviv street-food style snacks.

“This is a really exciting offering we are bringing to Brisbane,” said Ner. “We want to showcase approachable Middle Eastern cuisine that excites the palate, creates a sense of discovery and just tastes delicious. I want to highlight flavours by playing with old and new cooking, and blending cultures through local produce incorporated into traditional Middle Eastern dishes.”

Spearheaded by Jared Thibault, director of food and beverage Ovolo The Valley, the cocktail program will use fresh cold pressed juices in addition to local market citrus fruits and Middle Eastern botanicals. The wine list will feature a mixture of Middle Eastern, French, Italian and local wines, in addition to craft beers.

Sheridan Randall, 6^th June 2019