Yikes! It's Moroccan night.
I found this restaurant on Zagat amongst all the Indian restaurants in my price range. I couldn't bear another Indian restaurant this evening because when I opened the closet door this morning everything reeked! The food was still good at Chowki last night.
Original Tagines is buried deep in the Marylebone neighborhood near Baker Street and a few blocks walk from the Baker Street (closest) or Marble Arch tube station. From the Marble Arch tube station, it's not a close walk but this is a safe neighborhood and it is a nice “stroll”.
The atmosphere at Original Tagines is darkly lit with exotic looking sconces and creamy colored walls. Tables are mosaic topped and chairs are set with soft cushions and pillows. The feeling is North African without being hoaky.
My appetizer choice was hummus which is served with delicious soft flat bread that was topped with sesame seeds. The hummus was smooth, creamy and very nice, how could you screw up hummus?
To go along with my meal I order a Moroccan red wine, something I never had before. It was surprisingly soft with good red ripe fruits.
My main course is a tagine with lamb, candied apricots and toasted almonds. It is served with a side of bulgar wheat and some spicy hot sauce.
This is the best Moroccan dish I have ever eaten. The meat is tender and delicious (I love lamb). The lamb is cooked with these tasty little dried apricots which have a very sweet but spiced flavour. The dish is studded with huge toasted almonds and the sauce is out of this world. The flavour is spiced but it has a distinct sweet caramelized flavour. It is served piping hot in a tagine. I also loved the side of bulgar wheat, something I have never had. It was flavoured and spiced.
For dessert I must have the orange blossom rice pudding. It has a nice slightly floral flavour but not as thick as typical rice pudding. This is the only part of the meal that was disappointing.
To end the feast I finish with a Moroccan mint tea. Perfect and palate cleansing. It is served in the typical style by holding the pot a mile high while pouring it into the glass. I don't know what it is about Moroccan mint tea but it is so nice. I always like it in restaurants, but never made it at home.
This was by far the best Moroccan food I have ever had but not too adventurous for my American palette. I do recommend this restaurant if you are in London and looking for a taste treat and something different. It's sad but my American vision of Moroccan food is a bad restaurant where you sit on the floor and are assaulted by fat belly dancers. No belly dancers here!
For food I give this exotic treat a 4. Service is a 3 and very helpful and polite, they are happy to help with the menu. I also noticed that each guest is shown to the door as they leave. For atmosphere it is a 3+. It is dim and romantic, but can be noisy. I am not sure if it is always loud, but there was a large party here this evening. No one was smoking this evening either.
Zagat rated the Original Tagines a 20 for food but I think it should have been higher. Atmosphere was rated a 13 which was very low. I would say its a Zagat 18 for decor.
Total bill this evening was £27.80 ($52), and that included 2 glasses of wine, dessert and tea. You can keep the bill low by skipping some of the frills, but don't skip the mint tea!
Without wine and dessert the bill would have been £17.70 ($33) plus tip.
Original Tagines
7a Dorset Street
Marylebone, London
Tube - Baker Street or Marble Arch.
This really is as it says on the restaurants window, “the taste of Morocco”!
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