It won’t just be the city’s suits returning to Martin Place next week. Foodies will also be making their way to the newly relaunched MLC Centre to dine at Aalia, the latest new restaurant from the Esca hospitality group (Nour, LilyMu and Henrietta).

Aalia will open its doors from March 1 in the centre’s new dining precinct, alongside Botswana Butchery, Cabana Bar and Kazan.

Australian architect Matt Darwon has created a dramatic, sculptural space inspired by the 1970s designed Harry Seidler building next door. The 150-seater dining room combines warm timbers with plush leather and luxe gold detailing, with a mix of circular booths, dining tables and counter seating.

The menu is just as bold. Executive chef Paul Farag, formerly of Nour and Fish Butchery, has put together an Arabian menu that sheds light on foreign flavours, highlighting little known ingredients from across the Middle East and North Africa.

“Through food, we’re trying to showcase a beautiful region of the world which almost everyone seems to forget has a luscious coastline, flanked by oceans, rivers, and seas,” explains Executive Chef, Paul Farag.

“I want this menu to reflect a lighter way of shared eating – in the same way you assume a Mediterranean restaurant is going to be bright and fresh in flavour, this is truly the same principle for Middle Eastern cuisine. The idea behind the menu itself is to start with a few raw dishes and mezze, followed by mains and sides, with each dish crafted to represent a particular region, or specific era of Arabic culture.”

Expect flavourful dishes like Persian caviar served with malawach, labneh, and chives, and masgouf – a Mesopotamian dish of barbecued Murray cod glazed in garlic, turmeric, tamarind and pineapple.

Aalia is set to open at 25 Martin Place on March 1, with bookings now available at aaliarestaurant.com.