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Marrakesh
Marrakesh, in East Cambridge, claims to be "the only authentic Moroccan restaurant in Massachusetts, " and is, as far as we know. Inside the decor is wood paneling bedecked with paintings of Morocco; a gift shop with pottery, rugs, and knickknacks is in one corner.
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MARRAKESH
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Where: 561 Cambridge St., Cambridge.
Telephone: 617-497-1614.
Good choices: Moroccan appetizer sampler; harira soup; grilled merguez sausage; chicken bastilla; tagine massal; couscous tfaya; Moroccan pastries.
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Noise level: Low to moderate.
Credit cards: All major cards.
Access: One step up from street.
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Service is courteous, and the price is definitely right - most entrees are in the $12 to $14 range, and some appetizers are filling enough for a meal. Try the bastilla ($5.95-$7.95), a sort of potpie made with ultra-thin pastry wrapped around a chicken, seafood, or vegetable filling and garnished with a design of powdered sugar and cinnamon.
The tablecloths and waiters dressed in gold-embroidered Moroccan costume lend a festive air to the meal. The tapestry-decorated back room is a place to celebrate special occasions and sample the dafia (hospitality), a five-course meal ($24.95).
For those who think Moroccan cuisine begins and ends with couscous, think again. Sure, couscous is important - the carbohydrate equivalent of rice in Asian countries - and it comes as a side with all entrees. There are full-fledged couscous dinners, such as the couscous tfaya ($12.95), served with chicken, chickpeas, caramelized onions, and raisins. But Marrakesh offers dozens of other offerings, including grilled specialties and stews called tagines. The tasty tagine massal ($13.95) consists of lamb with a honey-nutmeg sauce, prunes, roasted almonds, and sesame seeds.
Finish your meal with the Moroccan mint tea ($2.50), served in a metal teapot with tiny tea glasses, and plate of Moroccan pastries ($3.95) that might include shabakia, a honey-dipped fried sesame cookie, and the biscotti-like faquass.
- Lise Stern
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