Note- Menu has changed a bit since I was there, with the prices having been updated (especially the…read moretagine,) with there also being some new dishes on the menu.
Recommendations- Bastilla/Pastilla, Tagines, Zaalouk. Grilled platters are alright. On a side note, some dishes, similar to other Moroccan places, such as couscous, are only available on weekends.
As per many of my recent reviews, I was at this Moroccan spot a good while ago, with our host having heard about it prior to the place being featured in the NYT Top 100 as well as on TasteBuds, a highly recommended Instagram/TikTok account. The woman who helped us, whom I believe was one of the owners, was very friendly, and the place inside was casual and decently busy, especially for how far away it is from the subway. The food was overall very tasty, with a particularly good bastilla/pastilla, among everything else, and I can see why this restaurant has gotten so much publicity.
My preference of the two appetizers was the $7.99 Zaalouk, or eggplant cooked in tomato sauce and marinated with charmoula. The dish reminded me a bit of Egyptian-style moussaka due to the mix, though less tomato-focused and more about the sweet eggplant. The chermoula was very light, with a hint of sourness and spice. Overall, this was delicious, especially with the bread.
The other appetizer was the Moroccan Carrot for $6, which was a mix of sliced carrots with a spicy chermoula. Of everything we ordered, this was the least favorite dish of the night, as the cold carrots lacked much flavor, as there was a lack of chermoula flavor, just like with the eggplant.
Best of the dishes was the $12.99 Chicken Bastilla, or Pastilla, listed as a traditional Moroccan pie stuffed with chicken strips, crushed almonds, and dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon. A lot of people might find this sweet and savory combination odd, but I have gotten used to it, and this was a very good version. The chicken was well-spiced, the pie was flaky, and it wasn't overly sweet. The previous place, which had the best version, was the long-closed La Shuk in Harlem, and this is better, though I do want to compare it to the other popular Moroccan spot in Astoria, Siham.
Second favorite was the Lamb Tajine, or Tagine, With Prunes for $22, consisting of slow cooked meat with prunes, dried apricots, roasted almonds, and sesame, and served with rice. The lamb inside was very tender and fell off the bone. I liked the roasted almonds and sesame as the bit of nuttiness helped with the overall sweetness of the dish. We also liked this dish, and it paired particularly well with the rice.
My preference from the grilled section was the $16.99 Merguez, listed as Moroccan merguez grilled over charcoal, and served with rice. The dish came with many pieces of sausage, which had a slight spicy kick and a bit of a snap.
For the same price, there was also the Grilled Lamb, or tender lamb with a choice of rice or fries. The lamb was pretty flavorful, but some pieces were a bit overcooked. It was good, though, but not as notable. The fries on the side were a mixed bag, with some being crispy and some a bit soft, so between the two, I would recommend the rice more.
While I didn't love the grilled platters, the rest of the dishes were delicious. Combine that with the friendly service, and we had a very good time. I wouldn't mind going back and trying again, though this might also be because I want to have more of their bastilla.