| The Casbah on 11th Avenue S.W. is the third restaurant I’ve reviewed at the same location within the past year. Its previous incarnations were former Stampeder Willie Fells’s soul food restaurant Myles Avery, and the Dolce Euro Dining Lounge. Let’s hope this latest venture is here to stay.
As I made my way to the subterranean Moroccan restaurant, I was curious to see what new owners Rani and Carrie Drissi had done with the place. The couple had waited a long time for the perfect spot and Rani says he liked the idea of having to retreat below street level to access the restaurant. "It conveys a sense of departure, of departing Canada and entering another realm," he says. That realm is a traditional Moroccan home. "We wanted the restaurant to be culturally accurate," says Rani, who was born in Casablanca and grew up in several cities along the country’s two coastlines.
Indeed, within the burnt tangerine and exposed brick interior are exquisite ceramics whose distinct patterns and craftsmanship represent different regions of Morocco, as well as antique swords, wrought-iron dividers, glazed mosaic tiles and tables, and lots of soft cushions. The Drissi family graciously emptied their homes in the name of interior design. The sectional couches and banquet table to the left of the entrance are from Rani’s grandparents’ living room, and the silver tea set and silver hand-washing basin are presents his grandparents received for their wedding. Having only opened in August, the Casbah looks like it has always been here and its interior is gorgeous.
Historically, Morocco was strongly influenced by Middle Eastern and Andalusian cultures. The invasion of the Arabs and the imperialist adventures of the Moorish kings brought culinary secrets and a caravan of spices to Morocco from Persia, Senegal and other exotic lands.
In this family-owned and operated business, the chef is Rani’s brother Azeez, who has cooked in restaurants throughout Morocco and the United States.
Before dining, it’s customary for Moroccans to go through an elaborate hand-washing process. At the Casbah, your red-vested server will bring a silver-plated basin, or tasse, to your table and pour warm, diluted rosewater over your hands. It’s a lovely ritual. With the exception of couscous, which is sometimes eaten with a spoon, Moroccans eat with the first three fingers of the right hand. Cutlery is also provided.
For an appetizer, we started with merguez brioua, crispy baked phyllo rolls filled with beef seasoned with cumin, paprika and coriander ($7). The meat was beautifully spiced and the accompanying harissa, Moroccan hot pepper sauce, kicked it up a notch.
For my meal, I ordered the traditional Moroccan dish called tajine. This is an aromatic stew featuring meat or poultry gently simmered with vegetables, olives, preserved lemons, garlic and spices like cumin, ginger, pepper, saffron and turmeric. It's both prepared and served in a glazed earthenware cooking pot with a tall conical lid from which the stew takes its name. The dome lid helps keep the moisture and heat in the food.
I chose the Barkouk tajine ($21), made with sweet potatoes, prunes, almonds and lamb in a honey-based sauce. A warm dish of wonderful, it was the right amount of sweet, topped with a cinnamon stick and a light sprinkling of sesame seeds. All tajines are served with warm khoubs, pita bread.
The Cornish game hen ($24), also simmered in a honey-based sauce, with sweet potatoes, pears and roasted almonds, is a popular dish, as is the frit tajine ($13), especially at lunch, made with french fries or potatoes, carrots, lemon and olives.
Morocco’s national dish is couscous, thousands of tiny pellets of pasta served with meat, fish or vegetables. My dining companion ordered the couscous khoudra with beef kebabs ($21). The beef was succulent and served on a bed of steamed couscous with seasonal stewed vegetables. All entrées can be ordered vegetarian.
A good way to experience a bit of everything is to order the Moroccan feast. For $46 per person, Casbah’s Zerda includes harirra (vegetable-based soup with parsley, tomato and coriander), shlada (a mix of cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions tossed with a house vinaigrette), your choice of briouats or bastella (a Moorish-Andalusian recipe of chicken simmered with saffron, parsley and eggs, sweetened with caramelized onions, ginger and cinnamon, and stuffed in a puff pastry baked and lightly dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon), your choice of couscous or tajine, and dessert with either Moroccan coffee or mint tea. Made with fresh mint leaves, the tea is a soothing after-dinner treat.
The Casbah is also opened for lunch and features a lunch buffet on Fridays for $12.95.
The Casbah is located at 720 - 11 Ave. S.W. Phone: 265-9800. |
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