I arrived in DC late Friday night and Nick treated me to a fun new cuisine I had never sampled before – Moroccan! Wow. What a feast! We ate at Taste of Morocco in DC, one of the best know venues in town for that type of cuisine. We each sampled a tasting menu for $25 a person consisting of 6courses:
- Harrira or Lentil Soup
- Royal Salad (a mix of 3 different cold salads – eggplant, carrot and cucumber)
- Chicken Bastilla
- Chicken and Lamb Tagine
- Moroccan Mint Tea
- Moroccan Pastries
I was simply blown away by the deliciousness of this cuisine. I can’t remember liking something this much in a VERY long time. The tastes were an interesting mixture of savory and sweet. Particularly perplexing but OH SO FABULOUS was the Chicken Bastilla. Pictured atop, this phyllo-pastry is stuffed with a marinated chicken, almonds, parsley and onions and topped with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. I know it sounds disgusting, but the combination is HEAVENLY. One of the most unique, memorable dishes I’ve tried in the last year. The soup was my other favorite of the meal, followed by the Tagine. Everything had this interesting mix of savory and sweet. Bread had a unique sweet finish. The Tagine had raisins with the lamb, etc. As if the food wasn’t delightful enough, we also were treated to a 30 minute Belly Dancing Show while we dined. 2 hours later we left with a full belly and a big smile on our faces.
Please try out some local Moroccan cuisine in your city. For Minnesotans, your best options are Mairin’s Table and the Marrakesh Cafe in Minneapolis. Expand your horizons and treat your tummy – all in one! And don’t forget to order the Bastilla!
