You'd be forgiven for thinking most places in the Balkans serve similar types of ingredients in similar ways. It's because they do. Most restaurants have the local specialties and otherwise a standard way of cooking each type of seafood. That's where something like Azur comes in, bringing Asian fusion to the local ingredients of Croatia. For that reason it is popular, and for that reason anyone who is in Dubrovnik for a short while should eat here. If nothing else, just for the variety.
The atmosphere is nice. Sitting along a stone wall (without insects luckily) in semi-natural mood light. The menu is cheeky and playful in its tone.
- Pork belly Beijing tacos 68kn for 2 pieces - chewy meat but good with cucumber, hoisin, chilli, spring onion;
- Monkfish in black curry sauce with zucchini rice 158kn - this expensive dish was a surprise in its form. I expected a curry. Instead it was monkfish with firm flesh deepfried and placed on squid ink. I could taste some coconut milk but not any red curry paste. It was served with sushi rice;
- CroAsian style seafood laksa 125kn - nice very thick soup with a good clear chilli kick which is unusual for this region. There was an added lime and more of a curry flavour than a Thai laksa. Small seafood was tasty but the prawns soft rather than crunchy;
- Azur baklava (4 kinds of nuts, spices, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon) 38kn - this was odd. The flavour was heavily anise spiced, and also annoying in that there was broken star anise through it which made it hard to eat. I told them this and they said it was the broken piece on top. Clearly not as it was pervasive throughout. Would not order this again.
Jazz versions of Avicii, Swedish House Mafia and Lorde are what it's all about - cool and hip but in a classy way.
As far as Asian fusion places go, this certainly wasn't one of the best I've had. But like I said, it's different and you need that in Croatia. Kudos on them for trying. I'd go back again.