February 29, 2012

Marrakech Round (2) - Where we ate




We had three nights in Marrakech. Aside from our first night, which we passed out in our room after ordering room service, we ventured into the Medina each day.





1) Our first night we ended up at La Foundouk, as a result of a recommendation by The Boyfriend's colleagues. The restaurant situated next to Maison La Photographie, (which I highly recommend), is a converted Foundouk, a foundouk being a warehouse where travelling salesmen used to lock up their goods in stall like rooms. The restaurant has been beautifully restored, and exists over two floors. The decor is very neutral, brown, black and white, with lots of candle light. It is clearly popular, the place was full whilst we were eating there and service was rather mechanical
Menus arrived as scrolls (a cute touch), but it was hard to get a smile out of our waiter as he tapped away at the machine that transferred orders to the kitchen. Due to our late lunch, meant we stuck to mains. The Boyfriend's Squid Tagine was okay. Squid was rather rubbery, but the tagine sauce and vegetables were a saving grace as The Boyfriend kept dipping the remaining little pieces of pita in the sauce, he felt he could easily eat the sauce only with a spoon. My Tagine Marrakech, consisted of lamb and little other flavour, a major disappointment after most of the tagines I've had. Dessert was much better, a selection of Moroccan pastries proved satisfying after every bite and was a perfect way to end the meal. The damage came to around 500 dh, or around £40, for one and half courses each and half a bottle of Morrocan white. It was fine, if not particularly memorable.
2) I'd heard of Pepe Nero, on our first trip, as it was recommended by the host at our Riad. It was also the number two restaurant on Tripadvisor.
The food at Pepe Nero, was a bit of a let down after everything we had read. Don’t get me wrong, it was still very good, and probably the best we had during this trip, and really beautifully presented, but I was expecting “haute cuisine”, as they claimed on their website. We started with a complimentary amuse bouche, a salmon “pizza”, on puff pastry, with some white cheese sauce. Bread, was okay – a rather dense focaccia and some other bread neither of us tried. Starters - Beef and Salmon Carpaccio – I found too oily and the liberal application of a sauce had taken away from the delicate flavours in both. The Boyfriend on the other hand, became obsessed with the Beef Carpaccio – “this the most satisfying Carpaccio ever,” he practically yelled
Mains I found to be more pleasing. Slow Cooked Lamb, had much more flavour than the previous nights dish, and literally fell off the bone. The aubergine and peppers sauce was a perfect accompliment. The Boyfriend’s Chicken with Saffron, was well cooked, but lacked the flavor that the other tagines we had eaten. Complimentary Moroccan pastries showed up just before the bill and were nothing particularly disappointing. Along with two disappointing glasses of house wine the total damage came to 610dh, or around £55 with service.

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