Sadly, this place appears to have closed, moved, or otherwise disappeared into the ether. Went today and it was replaced by a Yemeni restaurant.
Hysterically overwritten, but tempting. I'd go there.
"is scooped from a communal plate and rolled between the thumb and the first two fingers"
I can't help wondering if the hand is also the scoop.
I did my Peace Corps service in Morocco and was spoiled by the cooking of so many amazing women and spoiled by the wide range of flavors offered in Moroccan cooking.
I learned to cook while there - how to handle food, hold food, prepare food, enjoy food, and nourish others with food.
I've carried those lessons and flavors with me for the past 25 years.
Mr. Mishan's writing is lovely.
I wish I still lived in Brooklyn. I'd be at the bab (door) of Bab Marrakech in a heartbeat.
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Ligaya has to be one of the best food writers. Her turn of phrase is poetic, makes one’s mouth water. There are some critics like Jay Rainer of the Guardian who are funny and sarcastic but it’s also nice to read articles like this which makes you want to bury your face in a warm bowl of couscous
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When I considered the seafood bastilla dish, "my tongue threw a party in my mouth*" ... and I am definitely making that this weekend.
(*Credit to Mel Brooks. Lord bless ya, Mel!)
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I recommend the Kasbah, NW 2nd and Davis, for some great and authentic Moroccan. Naji and Malena have a wonderful menu.
I am not in New York and I don't own a tagine pot ( nor would my oven accommodate it if I did), but I am intrigued by Moroccan flavors and combinations.
I keep an old glass mayonnaise jar of preserved lemons on the counter and a jar of harissa in the back of the fridge. I try to replicate the flavor profiles I read about.
The article describes the food and the flavor and the main ingredients and the tenderness brought to the recipes. I may never make it to Brooklyn, but I will try to eat as if I did.
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Tagines don't go in the oven. They are always cooked on the stove top. You can get one easily online. The colored ones are only for serving.
I've said it before, and no doubt I'll say it again: Ligaya Mishan writes beautifully. This review presents sound reporting (every dish she ate is clearly described) in wonderfully harmonious prose.
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“each a tiny held breath” - beautiful!
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when i visited morocco, i had pastilla made with pigeon. is that difficult to find in nyc?
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@ eliza rome
I would never eat meat of a pigeon raised in an urban environment, such as Venice or New York.
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Yeah.
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You wouldn't be eating a wild pigeon if it showed up in the market or a restaurant. They would be specifically bred for eating.
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If you click the flag in the above right hand corner, you can save the article. It won't be a special restaurant section though.
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I would love it if nytimes would add a feature (similar to the recipe box) that allows readers to "save" reviews of restaurants we want to go to. I always read reviews but then lose track - it would be great to save reviews of restaurants that look interesting and then browse them when looking for a restaurant to go to.
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@ Jennifer Sandman
I wholly support your suggestion. In this review, I liked most the desert pastry on the last slide, whereas some of the other dishes turned me off.
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I have a folder of bookmarks of restaurant reviews. It's not convenient, but it works. I LOVE your suggestion. I would absolutely use the feature if it were available.
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So, to save this article, I'll "share" it with myself via email and then save that email with the label, "restaurants".
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