Moroccan cuisine and our dining experiences in Marrakech were undoubtedly a highlight of our time spent in the red city. Not only is the food flavorful and unique, the ambiance and peacefulness in the riads and restaurants is a welcome contrast from the raucous, busy streets. Moroccan cuisine is a blend of Arabic, Mediterranean, Andalusian, and Berber from centuries of interactions and exchanges between these cultures. We had only eaten Moroccan cuisine a couple times previously and honestly knew very little about it, so we were excited to explore beyond the well-known couscous and tajines.
Our first dinner was in a beautiful garden in the middle of the medina at Le Jardin. Here, we were introduced to some of the most traditional dishes and overall concepts of Moroccan cuisine. We ordered the two most famous tajines to start our Marrakech food journey: kefta (meatballs in a rich tomato sauce topped with an egg) and preserved lemon and olive chicken tajine.
Tajines are Moroccan stews made in a special conical earthenware pot that helps to keep the meat moist and tender. With caramelized onions and a well-reduced sauce, the chicken tajine did not disappointed, and we were really impressed with the mild tartness and the intense lemon flavor from the preserved lemon.
North African dishes are big on flavor, aroma, and spices. Moroccans use a lot of warm spices – like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin. In addition, they love to play with the balance of savory/salty versus sweet. Our favorite examples of this technique were the traditional appetizers that we ordered at a restaurant called The Red House: pigeon pastilla and briouat. The pastilla is a savory-sweet pie made with warqa (sheets of pastry thinner than filo) layered with pigeon and almonds and sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.
We absolutely loved the mingling of the warm spices of cinnamon and well-seasoned pigeon meat with the powdered sugar. This is not something you find in most other cuisines. The briouat is a cigar-shaped or triangular pastry stuffed with meats or cheeses. Here, we had an assortment of seafood and minced meat rolls.
The briouat were served with a special savory dipping sauce alongside a dish of powdered sugar demonstrating the salty with sweet combination that is adored by Moroccans. Our server told us that everybody has a different take on the right balance between sweet vs salty, hence, the ability to dip in as much as you like. Great idea!
We also got a fantastic traditional dessert here called Knaffa, a dessert pastilla with layers of almond, milk, vanilla custard, and the light crispy warqa.
The service at The Red House was superb, and the intimate atmosphere and exquisite Moroccan décor of refined mosaics and fine woodwork made for a lovely evening.
After trying out the more common traditional cuisine, we decided to up it a notch for our 12th anniversary dinner. Well, actually, Jimmy surprised me with this gem. MK Maison is one of the most cutting-edge designer riads serving up a culinary adventure of modern Moroccan/French fusion cuisine in a multi-course tasting menu. Dinner began on the rooftop with some light bites. As is typical in Morocco, we started with an assortment of olives – lemon cured, black, green w/ peanut, harissa parsley, and a ‘molecular’ olive made out of olive oil. We followed that with some meatballs, briouat, and cocktails as the sun went down.
We then proceeded downstairs to our secluded table next to the fireplace and tiny pool with waterfall.
For our first two starter courses, we got a twist on the traditional Moroccan thick harira soup, a spiced tomato consommé with beignet, and a traditional French dish, a chicken terrine with apricot puree and pistachio crumble.
Our main course was a brilliant idea to re-invent the traditional tajine. They called it a de-constructed lamb tajine two-ways: a lamb filet as well as slow-cooked shredded lamb with pomegranate molasses, carrot and orange puree, and fondant potatoes.
Wow!! Both styles of the lamb were juicy, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth pieces of heaven! Perfection! As we gazed around the room between courses, we were mesmerized by the flickering lights on the walls cast by the traditional Moroccan lamps. The light filters through intricate designs hand-hammered in the metal creating a romantic and dreamy atmosphere.
Our first dessert was Moroccan strawberries and cream with macerated strawberries, five-spice ice cream, vanilla cream, and pale strawberry foam sticking to the tradition of sweet with a hint of warm spice and then some modern flare. Who doesn’t love a little foam on their dessert?
Finally, my inner chocolate lover was indulged with a Moroccan-inspired version of the French Millefeuille. Two traditional spices/flavorings found in Moroccan desserts were incorporated: orange blossom water to make a chocolate/orange blossom mousse and cardamom to make a chocolate/cardamom ice cream. Plus, a shortbread cookie and salted caramel. Utter bliss!
MK Maison successfully re-invented traditional Moroccan and French cuisine in the most creative and delicious way. What an absolutely wonderful 12 year anniversary dinner!!
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