Morocco is
famous for its food, and no wonder. It's mouthwatering and eclectic, and
there's something for everyone. The best-known dish is the tagine, a
filling stew slow cooked in an earthenware pot with a conical lid. In addition
to chicken, beef, lamb, fish, or vegetables, tagines often include
stewed fruit, olives, onions, or almonds. Many restaurants also serve couscous,
particularly as a traditional family lunch on Fridays. The seven-veggie
couscous royale, topped with a raisin/onion concoction, is not to be missed.
Brochettes
(skewers of meat or chicken) are always a safe bet and are especially popular
with the junior set. Harira, a soup made with tomatoes and chickpeas and
served with bread and dates, is a warming and often vegetarian alternative. If
the food strikes you as a touch blah--you chili fiend!--request harissa,
a hot sauce that'll send your taste buds into overdrive.
There's a
wide variety of places to nibble and dine in Marrakech, from street stalls to
opulent restaurants out of The Arabian Nights. And café culture is
omnipresent--thanks, no doubt, to the country's history as a French colony. I
provide a range of food choices below, from the super cheap to the
save-up-your-pennies splurge. Also included are some non-Moroccan options for
those who want to mix it up a little.
Marrakech's
bountiful tangerine and orange trees make for fresh juice everywhere. Yay! By
day, head to the orange-juice stalls on the Jemaa el-Fna, the city's
famous central square. There are dozens of juice stalls, all of which are
numbered. I haven't ever really noticed a difference between the juice at No. 1
and the juice at No. 23. So pick the stand with your lucky number and make a
beeline. A smile usually gets you a free half refill.
By night, the
juice stalls are wheeled away and dozens of open-air kitchens are set up in
tidy rows, with communal bench seating. I'm partial to the stall where a chef
with a handlebar moustache makes harira. Be sure to check out the stands
that specialize in exotica like sheep's head or snails (you slurp them from a
cup). Sadly, no beer is on offer at any of the stalls.
On the
sidelines of the Jemaa el-Fna is Ice Legend, an ice cream shop. It's
particularly enticing for the little ones in the group, but adults too will
appreciate a scoop of one of the 50 homemade flavors. Café des Épices,
in the medina's spice market, is a charming and aromatic spot for breakfast or
a glass of hot mint tea. Further down the medina's serpentine alleys is La
Terrasse des Épices in Souk Cherifia. (It's owned by the same guy who owns
Café des Épices.) Salads start at just $6.50, and you can bask in the sun on
the huge terrace.
There are
four upscale restaurants in the Old City that I happily recommend. The stylish Kosybar,
on the place des Ferblantiers, has a mix of Moroccan and continental offerings,
as well as inventive cocktails. By day, you can watch huge storks in their
nests from the upstairs terrace. Swanky Le Tanjia, a restaurant with
rose-filled fountains, is nearby. The Sunday brunch is excellent, as is the
tender monkfish available at lunch or dinner. Another chic spot in the
Mouassine district is Café Arabe. This Italian-owned riad
(courtyard home) boasts not only a restaurant serving homemade pastas from $9,
but also a hip rooftop bar. And in the Kasbah area is Tatchibana, where
you can break out of the norm with sushi and other Japanese delicacies.
Tatchibana is open only for dinner except on Sunday, when it offers lunch, too.
Some of
Marrakech's coolest eating spots are in the newer parts of the city. In Guéliz,
Kechmara has mid-century modern decor with ever-changing art, and a
sunny terrace that's a good choice for breakfast and lunch; the restaurant does
a fine mixed grill for $12. Café du Livre, also in Guéliz, has free
Wi-Fi and a selection of English-language books for you to peruse while
ordering coffee, lunch, or an early dinner (entrées from $8). Sushi is served
during the evening from Thursday to Saturday, but the café is open only until 9
p.m. And the colonial atmosphere at Grand Café de la Poste provides a
nice backdrop for excellent salads, starting at $10, as well as hot meals.
Enjoy a Casablanca beer on the covered veranda.
In the
majorly upscale category is Le Bis-Jardin des Arts, a new restaurant
with gorgeous decor. The delicious entrées start at $17. For other
überglamorous experiences, hop in a car and head to the city's outskirts. Restaurant
L'Abbysin is at the stunning Palais Rhoul, a luxurious palace hotel. The
sleek, white outdoor venue is photo-shoot worthy, even if the nouvelle cuisine
is more passable than memorable. The Crystal Restaurant Lounge, in the
trendy Pacha complex, has artful food arrangements almost too pretty to eat.
Make reservations for Friday or Saturday night to listen to jazz.
· Ice Legend
52 ave. Bab Agnaou, Jemaa el-Fna, 011-212/24-44-42-00
· Terrasse
des Épices Souk Cherifia, Dar el Bacha, 011-212/76-04-67-67
· Kosybar
47 place des Ferblantiers, Médina, 011-212/24-38-03-24, entrées from $19
· Grand Café
de la Poste blvd. el Mansour Eddahbi at ave. Imam Malik, Guéliz,
011-212/24-43-30-38, grandcafedelaposte.com
· Le
Bis-Jardin des Arts 6-7 rue Sakia el Hamra, Semlalia, 011-212/24-44-66-34, lebis-jardindesarts.com
· Crystal
Restaurant Lounge blvd. Mohamed VI, Zone Hôtelière de l'Aguedal,
011-212/24-38-84-00, pachamarrakech.com, entrées from $10
