I was so excited about trying out a new restaurant, having tried Asian, South American and European cuisines, it was time for Africa. I searched around and I found the Moroccan House. Moroccan House is in Menlo Park on Atterbury Road, Pretoria. Moroccan House is owned and managed by Joehan and Louise Erasmus.
Moroccan House Facebook Page
This place is exquisite, Moroccan House offers a guest house, La Riad the function conservatory, Moroccan Imports, La Terasse Rooftop Café and Moroccan décor rental & Catering division. Beautiful ornaments and lantern lamps lead you to the reception area.
I made a booking the day before so when we arrived everything was quick at the reception and the service was friendly. We were led upstairs to the rooftop café for our lunch. The La Terasse Rooftop Café & Deli upstairs is the most intimate yet so exotic space I have ever been to. It is unbelievable that it is on a rooftop of a guest house in South Africa, the place looked like it is in the middle of a desert, a vibrant market in Morocco or on the shore of a North African beach.
It is said that the Moroccan cuisine is the culinary star of North Africa, you can trace the country's history of colonisers and immigration through its traditional dishes. Moroccan cuisine has the Arab, French, Middle Eastern, African and Jewish influences.
DRINKS
My friends ordered the Moroccan Magic Juice: a blend of pomegranate, apple and pear juice with sparkling spring water.
I had a Moroccan infused cordial - ginger with a dusting of chilli. This homemade ginger drink definitely gave me that kick that Stoney ginger beer will give you. The beauty of this refreshing drink is that it didn't have too much sugar and had no acid.
THE FEAST
APPETISERS
Spicy Harissa Prawns
Served on a green salad
drizzled with sundried
tomato and preserved lemon
dressing.
Moroccan Tangy Chicken Wings
Roasted in a tomato & blue cheese basting with saffron, ginger and coconut milk.
MAIN COURSE
Lamb Tagine with Dates & Honey
Served in a tagine, is a traditional lamb tagine prepared with dates and honey. Served with couscous.
Chicken Bastilla /Pastilla: Served with a salad, is a Moroccan fusion chicken pie with layers of phyllo pastry, orange blossom water and roasted almonds with a rich chicken and egg filling, topped with mushroom relish.
Oxtail Tagine: Tender meat cooked overnight in a clay urn called Tangia with onion and subtle use of spices and herbs.
The stews are cooked in a Tagine; a cone shaped cooking vessel used in North Africa. The unique shape allows the meat ( lamb & oxtail, in this case) to slow cook for a luscious, tender texture. The main meals ( stews) were served with couscous; a Moroccan staple food made from semolina grains and steamed in a colander like dish known as couscoussiere.
Of course not being privy to Moroccan culture, we didn't order tea. Joehan, the owner, offered us some tea and explained that Moroccans normally have about three cups of mint tea in one meal. "Mint tea is traditionally served in small glasses, when it is served, the person poring the tea holds the teapot high above the glass so as to create a little foam in each person's glass. Moroccans tend to like their extremely sweet, but one may choose to use less sugar". Joehan sweetened our tea with honey. It was very tasty and delectable. A drink I could easily enjoy everyday.
DESSERT
Rosewater Brownie & Ice cream delight: With rose & saffron syrup and strawberries
Rosewater Cheesecake: Rosewater & Turkish delight cheesecake
Orange Blossom Cheesecake: Orange blossom & Turkish delight cheesecake
For desserts and cordials, rosewater and orange flower water are important ingredients in Morocco. Also, in Morocco cooking is enhanced with fruits, dried and fresh like apricots, figs, dates, raisins etc.
I checked and took home a few Ghoriba cookies. The Moroccan cookies are chewy like macaroons and some taste like short-bread. Moroccans generally have a sweet tooth, their cookies are sweet and rich. You can taste the spices like cinnamon in some of the cookies and some taste like chocolate macaroons.
La Terasse Rooftop Café & Deli
Found on their website "Hospitality and authenticity are key in the success of Moroccan House, and coupled with the owners' quest for excellence and attention to detail, our patrons are promised a matchless experience".
I can honestly say that the above quoted statement is a true reflection and more of what our experience was at the Moroccan House. The food was exotic and delicious. We enjoyed all our dishes and drinks. The exotic spices used to prepare their dishes give the Moroccan cuisine the different flavours unusual to our cuisine here at home. Their service is excellent, they are here to please the client and go beyond that. I've been to a lot of restaurants where the manage will come and ask whether "everything is okay", at the Moroccan House it didn't feel like it was his duty to do that, it was sincere and he was on a mission to give us an unforgettable experience. Also, I was very impressed with their knowledge of the food they were serving us, how it is made in Morocco and why it is prepared that way. I liked their honesty when it comes to dishes that have been prepared to suit South Africa, e.g pastilla made with chicken instead of dove.
Moroccan House is definitely a place I could be a regular at and a place to bring a friend to for that magical dining experience. I suggest you visit Moroccan House if you are looking for a different dining experience coupled with top-notch service.
* All photos are mine unless otherwise stated*
No comments:
Post a Comment