I had dinner at Cafe Marrakesh last night for the first time. If you’ve lived in the neighborhood long enough, you remember that this spot off Belt Line and Coit used to be Hedary’s, a Lebanese eatery–and way before that it was actually a Taco Bueno, hence the pink adobe-like structure.
Well, now it’s a Moroccan cafe. This was my first time to sample Moroccan food, but I’m an adventurous eater and this time, the risk proved well worth it.
My dinner party and I started with two orders of the spicy Moroccan cigars (phyllo dough filled with spicy ground beef–almost like a taquito) and an order of the hummus. Both were very good, although the humus was truly standout. Unlike most humus I’ve sampled, this take was much creamier and topped with fresh cilantro and olive oil. Yum.
I had the Cornish Hen Tagine, which was cooked rotisserie-style and served with artichokes and peas. It was very tender, but a bit over-seasoned for my taste. I also tried the Lamb Tangine, a mix of lamb, prunes, almonds, saffron, and sesame seeds. OK, I now that sounds like a curious combo, but don’t knock it until you try it. The flavors work well together. I also sampled the Royal Couscous, a heavenly mix of chicken, lamb, Merguez sausage, and fresh veggies. It’s served in shallow bowl, with a succulent stew-like quality–all the flavors blend together perfectly.
We finished with the Moroccan bread pudding, which is baked with peaches and raisins then topped with caramel (it tastes a lot better than it might sound), and a plate of sliced oranges. Yes, we had oranges for dessert. Only these oranges were soaked in Orange blossom water then topped with cinnamon, powdered sugar and creme. It was sweet, refreshing, and not too heavy–as desserts all too often tend to be.
Overall, I’d say the food was far better than average, but you have to be brave enough to venture outside your culinary comfort zone.
Or if you want to ease into ethnic dining of these proportions, swing by for the daily $7 lunch buffet, so you can sample a little of everything.
I also cannot say enough good things about the customer service here. The owner was warm, hospitable, and eager to offer up suggestions when he found out we were new to Moroccan food. Plus he overheard that my birthday was around the corner, so he brought me a free dessert and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me (even though nobody at the table asked him to). A very kind gesture, indeed.
There’s really something to be said for good food, and good customer service like that.
If your taste buds are up for something out of the ordinary, swing by Cafe Marrakesh. You’ll be happy you did.
