A Taste of Morocco

A platter of entrees

Marrakesh

2147 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Washington D.C offers such a wide variety of ethnic dining options that it is very possible to develop a culinary blind spot. A recent visit to Marrakesh, a Moroccan restaurant in downtown DC., gave me the opportunity to fill one such gap in my dining experience.

Marrakesh has a set menu for $35. We tried this along with several items on the a la carte menu.
Among the cold tapas, we tried their zaalouk (eggplant cooked with mild spices), spinach, and hummus. Among the hot tapas, we tried their shrimp in a tomato sharmola sauce and a hot vegetable soup.  If you have never tried the chicken bastille, it is recommended for those who enjoy the combination of savory and sweet flavors. It is available as both a tapas and an entree. The shrimp was a bit spicy and went well with the complementary bread.

For entrees, several kinds of couscous, (chicken, lamb and fish) and tagines are available. We tried their vegetable couscous,  a fish tagine, a mildly spiced chicken and a lamb dish served with prunes and apricots. We capped our meal with some fresh fruit and moroccan tea.

While the food was reasonably priced compared to the DC standards, it might come off as a bit bland for those with an Indian palate. Having said that, it is worth trying at least once. The establishment had a cozy ambience. If you go an a Saturday, an entertaining belly dancing act starts after 8:30.