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A search turned up nothing, so here goes...just booked a belated honeymoon in Morocco for late May - early June. We'll arrive in Casablanca, and basically just stay the night until we can catch a train to Fes, and after a couple of days on to Tangiers. We'd love recs for hole-in-the-wall joints, nice places, and anything in between; both of us speak fairly functional French, and my husband speaks some Arabic, and we are both willing (in fact, eager) to stray a bit off the touristy path.

Also, well, there is an absolutely tragic overnight layover in Madrid on the way home; I studied there in college, but that was in 1988 (and I was a broke college student whose biggest foodie adventure then was generally trying to figure out how to eat for the least money on Sunday evening, when my hostal didn't serve meals), so recs there would also be appreciated.

Eva-

I can't help you in Morocco, but definitely search for the Madrid threads. I might even add my two cents since I spent three days in Madrid last October, but haven't gotten around to posting.

Enjoy your trip!

-Mary

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-Mary

I was just in Casablanca - I'll get you some recs tomorrow. I had some excellent food there

Jeff Corwin (the Animal Planet guy) did a nice off-the-path show about eating in Morocco on his show Extreme Cuisine on Food Network. One of the more relevant things I've seen there. It could be worth a look if you can find it.

I haven't been to Morocco in 20 years so I don't have anything to suggest, sorry. I will say that I could not get out of Tangiers fast enough. I was there for one day and had an absolutely horrible time. Was hassled beyond belief by every manner of would be predator and huckster, witnessed a murder and not fifteen minutes later was detained by the police and accused of being a drug smuggler. After paying the "fine" I got on the first train to Rabat and had an absolutely fantastic time everywhere else in Morocco. We met lots of locals who would invite us over for feasts in their homes and ate tons of street food in the medina in Fez and in Marrakesh's Dejeema el Fna. Morocco on the whole was a 9.5/10 with the .5 deduction based on our one day experience in Tangiers

The nightly food stalls that set up in the Dejeema are a sight to see. Literally, dozens of fantastic portable mini restaurants set up shop amidst snake charmers, story tellers and throngs of people. Have a great trip

Wow, that's quite a mouthful!

As the hubby was in Tangiers 3 years ago and reported no negative experiences (and we will be staying in the same hotel he did then - in fact, his trip was immediately after his first trip to Chicago to see me, which is part of the reason we chose Morocco; he wrote me from dinky Internet cafes twice a day over the whole trip, which was the beginning of quite a whirlwind romance), I have high hopes for a rather more positive experience than you seem to have had there. And for the rest of Morocco, for that matter, although we will have to see how I deal with the inevitable approaches from would-be guides, etc.

I loved Morocco -- great food, great people. However, the only specific restaurant recommendations I'd have would be in Rabat and Marrakesh. However, Fes was one of my absolutely favorite places in Morocco -- but definitely get a guide in the medinah, as there are 9,000 alleys, 850 of them dead ends.

Here's an item from my blog about my trip to Morocco. Might not offer specific advice for your trip, but could get you in the mood: http://worldsfare.wordpress.com/2008/09 ... cco-rocks/

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"Nothing important is easy." Patrick White (Australian Nobel laureate)

http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com

I have to find my notes for Casablanca, but I'll get you a good resteraunt - I ate at two very good traditional ones. I stayed at the Sheraton, which is just down the street from the old city. in that area are a dozen or more really nice little cafes that are open from very early in the morning until very late at night and have great pastry - morocan pastry includes french style pastry as well as various variations on arabic style pastry, very good stuff.

I don't know how famiiar you are with morocan cuisine, but what you will want to do is sample some of the various pastries with tea over the course of the day. dinner is usually eaten late and will include a course of salads (basically a mezza idea). the carrot salad is very traditional and not really found anywhere else - carrots grated in orange juice with raisens. a pastille - sort of a flaky meat pie falvored with cinnemon and other spices is common, very often with pigion. tangines - stews - often with meat and fruit and nuts (chicken and lemon, lamb with aprecot and almonds) or couscous (servied with boiled vegitables and often roast meat) are very common.

if you want to buy something to take home - you can get a good couscous pot for 15 bucks, ditto a good tangine pot. I also brought back some harissa (spicy chili paste) and pickled lemons for pretty much nothing.

have fun

Thanks - we are staying at the Barcelo in Casablanca, which seems to be pretty centrally located. I'm only generally familiar with Moroccan food, but really liked whatever I've had up until now and am looknig forward to trying more. And hey, any plan that involves sampling pastries throughout the day can't be all bad.

My big struggle will likely be in Fes, where I will have to choose between traveling light for the rest of the trip, and bringing home all sorts of cool stuff! A tagine would be a fabulous thing to bring home (and my mom is also a fan of all kinds of traditional ceramics), but well, kind of bulky. But who knows - I may give in anyway.

ok, the name of one resteraunt is the olive garden - riyad zietoun. your hotel will know it. very nice,classic menu. I;ll see if I can find the name of the other place which was a little more clasical.

Just to chime in about Morocco in general.......
from the moment we stepped ashore in Tangiers,
to my last night there- I found it IMPOSSIBLE to be left alone-
to see what I wanted to take in- versus someone wanting to "be my guide" (or sell me something!).
Even while viewing the beautiful tile work in a Mellah (Jewish Cemetery) gangs of "youts" surrounded me,
first w/ offers to buy oranges?- then after being waved off - threats to my country, my people, etc.

Fez has some amazing bakeries selling Pastillya- a phylo dough like snack w/ savory fillings (often pidgeon).
I found alot of places selling Rotisseried Chicken, served with ground cumin and salt as condiments- yummm!
The Souk/Medina in The Old City is not to be missed. As is a tour of the leather processing plant- that dates back to the 1500's-make
sure to take the bunch of fresh Mint that they offer- as a sort of "personal air freshener"- because the rotting flesh odor can be a bit
much for most folks. Beware of Taxi Fares- from "New" FEz to The Old City was a 8 dirham ride, when taken with "Ali" and "Mohammed" my "new" friends in Fez-
but when me- El Gringo- took the same route- they (in and out of 4 taxicabs) all quoted a 15 dirham fare!
Same ride- different rates for locals versus foriegners.
I found the "Official State Pottery" on the outskirts of Fez to be a great place
to buy pottery such as Tagines. They also hand make the geometric tiles that are in mosaics throughout the country.
They factory will ship too- but beware- it took many letters and phone calls to "get" my prepaid
pottery in Chicago form Fez - and finally, months later, when it did arrive at ORD-
The Customs Broker called- they were going to destroy the entire crate due to Organic Matter (Straw as packing material) shipped in to The USofA.
(Don't ask how I finally "got" my pottery!)

A small beachside town of Assillya is an hour south of Tangiers by Train- and kinda reminded me of an Arabic version of the Jersey Shore,
including very cool communal neighborhood bread ovens-
there I slept in someones home-
$5.00 bought Kefta dinner and another $5.00 bought our lodging for the night.
Not quite a B&B- more like a Pillow(s) and Meatballs (P&M).

All in all- Morocco was a place that I would like to return to see- but avoiding the cities-
and either head for the Atlas Mountains,to hang w/ the Blue Eyed Berbers- or to explore the
northern Mediterranean coastline.

My Mom & I are heading back to Morocco in about a week, so I'd love any updated suggestions that people might have. On our last trip there were 7 of us and we were with a guide the entire time, so very few restaurant decisions to be made (but we had some fantastic meals). This trip is a bit more free form, but will include Casa, Fes, Tangier, Rabat and Chefchaoeun. Any specific restaurant recommendations would be appreciated.

(FWIW, my mom grew up in Tangier, so she's obviously spent a lot of time there & I've spent about a week there. If you visit, get as far away from the port as possible for the best experience. Yes, you can get hassled by touts in any city, and any part of any city, but it's the worst in the port area. Hiring a *good* guide can work wonders. You may have to exert a firm hand--make it clear if you don't want to shop or only want to visit specific stores--but you'll be subjected to far fewer hassles. Learning to say, "la shukran"--Arabic for "no thank you"--also helps.)

It has been two years, but I can't imagine it will have changed much -- in Rabat, I recommend Borj Eddar and Dinarjat

Borj Eddar is a modern (i.e., within the last century) restaurant built inside an ancient, golden-stone building with a view of the ocean and the nearby walled city. They specialize in local seafood, all fresh, mostly grilled. Everything was good, but I particularly enjoyed the grilled fresh sardines.

Dinarjat was a lot fancier, and absolutely wonderful -- gorgeous old mansion in the medinah, converted into a restaurant. Unlike Borj Eddar, where you sit at regular restaurant tables in regular chairs, at Dinarjat, you have the classic Moroccan set up of sofas arranged around low tables. Here are my notes from the dinner I had there:

Our meal started with traditional hand washing. A silver bowl filled with rose petals was held beneath our hands as warm rosewater was poured over our fingers from a silver kettle. Then dinner was served.

Whole, round loaves of whole-grain bread were brought to the tables, as were bowls of olives, both black and spicy green with herbs and chilies. For the salad course, there were seven traditional salads: potato with cilantro, cucumber with tomato, spinach, eggplant, beets with onion and cilantro, fava beans, and peppers with onions. (Cucumber, eggplant, beet, and pepper were my four favorites.)

Next, we were served the famed Moroccan specialty, bestila, a pigeon pie with a flaky, phyllo crust, dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. It was delightful.

Next came the briwat, small, fried pastries filled with meat. One was generously flavored with cumin, the other had a curry-like flavor.
Musicians had begun playing by this time: one playing the oud (a stringed, mandolin-like instrument), one the bendir (a drum), and one the kanun (somewhat like a large zither).

The main course was now brought out—three tagines! One was lamb with raisins and almonds, one was beef with artichoke bottoms, and the final one was chicken with preserved lemon and preserved brown olives. What a feast.

Dessert was jawhara—a stack of crispy phyllo rounds layered with cream and milk, honey, almonds, and rosewater. Surprisingly, it was not overly sweet. It was delicious, the rosewater giving it an almost ethereal quality. I was particularly delighted because the airline magazine on the flight over had had a two-page feature extolling the glories of this very dessert, and here I was enjoying it in such spectacular surroundings.

An exceedingly tall and quite handsome young man came out with the mint tea, and we all applauded (and photographed) as he poured it from high over his head into the small glasses on his silver tray. What a show.

The meal ended when one of our attractive, red-robed servers sprinkled our hands and heads with rosewater, using a beautiful, silver sprinkling bottle. This just keeps getting better.
-----

The meals at Borj Eddar and Dinarjat were really memorable.

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"Nothing important is easy." Patrick White (Australian Nobel laureate)

http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com

In Chefchaouen, there is the eponymous Chef Chouen, not far from the main square.
Yet another good place for tagine. Friendly service.

Thanks Tom & Cynthia! I appreciate the suggestions.

I don't have a specific recommendation for Fes, but the medinah of Fes is just about the coolest place I've ever been. However, you definitely want a guide -- 9000 alleys, 850 dead-ends. But simply incredible. And I know I ate well there, I just don't have the name of the places. (I didn't really have any bad food in Morocco.)

If you decide to swing over to Marrakech, let me know, because I do have a couple recommendations there.

And if any place is serving michoui, it's one of my favorite dishes in Morocco -- pit-roasted lamb basted with butter and spices until it's meltingly tender. You eat it with your hands, dipping it in course salt and ground cumin. Wow, is that a great dish. (If you don't see it on a menu, just ask if there is a michoui shop anywhere ).

I miss the amazing olives and intense olive oil -- and argan oil.

Morocco is a great place for eating.

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"Nothing important is easy." Patrick White (Australian Nobel laureate)

http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com

I loved Fes the first time we were there, and this time we're actually staying at a riad in the medina, so I'm very excited. I agree with you re. being one of the coolest places on earth....walking through the you really get the sense that time hasn't changed the place in 1000+ years.

We only 2 or 3 nights in Fes, and I think I have most of those meals mapped out.

Alas, Marrakech isn't on the itinerary this time, which disappoints me because it's probably my favorite city in Morocco. My Mom's hoping to rent a house in Morocco for a few months next year, so I'll be sure to get back to Marrakech then and would love any of your recommendations. We ate at some great places when we were there, but I always enjoy trying new ones.

I haven't tried michoui...thanks for the tip. I'm a chicken with green olives and preserved lemons fan. I think I could eat that dish every single day if given a chance. (Every time I visit my Mom, she has a tendency to say, "Oh, I just made chicken with preserved lemons last week and it was delicious..." Gee, thanks Mom!)

I'd say that we didn't have any bad food when I was last in Morocco, but, alas, two from our group spent 36 hours feeling as if they were on the verge of death after drinking fresh-squeezed OJ at an otherwise-wonderful restaurant in Marrakech. Fortunately, we were staying at a beautiful riad and all agreed that if you had to be violently ill, better to be sick in the lap of luxury than while camping in the Sahara, for example. I try to play it safe and avoid fruits and veggies that are washed in water but not cooked or can't be peeled, though I did break that rule on my last night in Casablanca for the best Middle Eastern food I've had this side of Saudi Arabia. Note to self: Track down the name of this place.

Will she have a guest room?

_________________
"Nothing important is easy." Patrick White (Australian Nobel laureate)

http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com

LOL...a few of them, but the waiting list keeps growing!

A few restaurant notes now that I'm back in the States...

Fes:
Fes Et Gestes (39 Arsat El Hamoumi, Ziat, Fes, 212 535638532, www.fes-et-gestes.ma/english.html). French Moroccan restaurant in the medina. Owned by a French woman, set in several rooms of a beautiful house with a fantastic garden courtyard. Several choices on the fixed menu (think you could choose the number of courses and choice between several entrees & dessert), paid about 150DH per person. We had soup (I think), several cooked Moroccan salads, bread, I had chicken tagine with cardoons while my Mom had veal with figs & quince, for dessert a strawberry tart and flourless chocolate cake.

Restaurant Dar Hatim (19 Derb Ezaouia Fandak, lihoudi Fes Medina, 212 (0) 666 525 323). Moroccan restuarant in the medina. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. To start, the owner will walk to your riad (if you're staying in the medina) or one of the gates to personally meet you and walk you back to the restaurant (and home again). Very nice touch since many alleys are unlabeled and you're bound to meet dozens of people along the way who want to guide you to a restaurant they think is better. Set in the owner's home, he's the front-of-house and his wife & mom handle the cooking. You'll meet the whole family & even get a back-of-house tour after dinner. (I was amazed that they're capable of handling 60 people at a time in their small kitchen.) Fixed menu, liquor available, paid about 170DH per person for food, excluding drink. We were served about 10 Moroccan salads (all cooked), I had michoui (lamb) with salt & cumin, my Mom had a fish tagine, for dinner we were served fresh oranges & strawberries. (We ate--and some people wouldn't--and had no problems.)

Tangier:
Darna (http://www.darnamaroc.org/women.html just uphill from the Grand Socco near the medina). Interesting Moroccan restaurant set in the courtyard of a woman's cooperative. This was recommended to us by two expats, and I'm thrilled they did because we never would have heard of it/stumbled across it. Another fixed price restaurant, and I honestly can't remember how much we paid for lunch. Our meal included Moroccan salads, bread, bastilla (for my Mom) and kefta in tomato sauce with a fried egg (for me), plus a huge lemon tart and slice of chocolate cake for dessert. (We started talking to two other expats at the next table & one mentioned that whenever the menu doesn't appeal to him, they'll also make an omelette.)

Le Saveur du Poisson (Escalier Waller 2, Tangier, downhill from El Minza toward the top of the steps leading to the Medina). Fantastic seafood restaurant with Moroccan/Med influences. No choices in the set menu here and everything depends on what seafood is fresh. We got four kinds of fresh bread (all amazing), olives, marcona almonds, a seafood stew (served from a cauldron over coal), a tagine of fish, shrimp & calamari in a garlic/spinach/tomato sauce, grilled sole, all you can drink fresh-made fruit juice and two fantastic desserts...one was fresh strawberries with raw honey, the other was a Berber honeymoon dessert made with almonds, pine nuts, rice, barley & honey. I think the price was 150DH per person.

If you need a break from Moroccan food...Tom Yam (5 Avenue Youssoufia, Tangier, 039 32 08 97). A Thai restaurant owned by a French-Moroccan and his Thai wife. A la carte and seemingly popular among locals and Asian tourists. We had a solid Thai meal here, a bottle of wine, etc., for about 400DH for two people.

One note:
* It's rare to find restaurants that serve liquor within the medinas, so ask if you can bring your own. If you're going to be in Morocco for a while (particularly if you're renting a car), it makes sense to stock up on your drink of choice when you have a chance, since Muslim cab drivers don't always know what supermarches sell alcohol. We found that the wine from Meknes was great and relatively inexpensive (many choices in the $10-20 range).
* Most riads offer the option of having a homecooked dinner. You probably won't get any choices, but it's a great way to experience some local homestyle cooking and a particularly nice option if you've been walking all over town all day.
* Breakfasts seem to be included at most riads & hotels. Ours ran the gamut, but always included fresh-squeezed OJ, French bread with butter, processed cheese (Laughing Cow is huge in Morocco) and jam, and some variety of Moroccan bread. Often there was another pastry, eggs or yogurt, too.

I just returned from two weeks in Morocco (Rabat, Fes, Menkes, Marrakesh, and Casablanca, traveling with an Odysseys Unlimited tour. For much of the time we were enclosed in a comfortable, but sometimes frustrating, tourist bubble, but we did eat at some excellent places, including the delightful and beautiful Dinarjat in Rabat (mentioned by Cynthia), Villa Sbihi in Sala, the fine and pretty Palais Didi in Menkes (where one eats in the courtyard), Restaurant la Medina (an open-air restaurant in the Fes Medina with a stunning view of the medina - the top story of a four story building), Dar Moha (a very stylish, with the Moroccan celebrity chef Moha Fedal, somewhat more modern cuisine that most Moroccan radios) in Marrakesh (get a table by the pool and listen to the local music), and the touristy, but fun, Rick's Cafe in Casablanca (although with disappointing international food). So much couscous, so little time.

Dinargat, Rabat


Rabat - Dinarjat by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Rabat - Dinarjat - Meat Rolls by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Rabat - Dinarjat - Meat Rolls by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Rabat - Dinarjat - Chicken with Preserved Lemon by garyalanfine, on Flickr


032412-Morocco 080 by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Villa Sbihi, Sala


Sala - Villa Sbihi by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi - Salads by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi - Stewed Liver, Eggplant and Peppers by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi - Beef with Olives by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi - Honey Cakes by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Sala - Villa Sbihi - Cookies by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Palais Didi, Menkes


Palais Didi - Menkes by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Palais Didi - Menkes - Salads (Eggplank, Carrot, Potatoes, Rice and Corn, Squash) by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Palais Didi - Menkes - Couscous with Chicken, Raisins, Caramelized Onions, and Chickpeas by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Palais Didi - Menkes - Oranges with Cinnamon by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Restaurant la Medina, Fes


Fes - Restaurant la Medina - Salads by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Fes - Restaurant la Medina - Pastille by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Fes - Restaurant la Medina - Veal with Prunes by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Fes - Restaurant la Medina - Couscous with Chicken by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Fes - Restaurant la Medina - Fresh Fruit by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Dar Moha, Marrakesh


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - 14 Salads by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Pigeon Pastille by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Monkfish Pastille by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Foie Gras Couscous by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Seabass Tagine by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Barley Couscous by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Wheat Couscous by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Sweet Couscous with Strawberries by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Dar Moha - Marrakesh - Pastry with Almonds, Strawberries, Caramelized Apples, and Mint by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Rick's Cafe, Casablanca


Rick's Cafe - Casablanca by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Rick's Cafe - Casablanca by garyalanfine, on Flickr

_________________
Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

So envious, GAF! I was just thinking about the fact that I was there a year ago today and am overdue for a return trip...maybe in the fall.

Interesting that show picture the orange slices with cinnamon. Such a simple dessert, but delicious. It's a go-to dessert in a pinch for my Mom, who grew up in Morocco.

Those salads as well as the chicken & couscous dishes look wonderful (as does everything else, but I'm a sucker for chicken with couscous).

I should say a few words about Dar Moha (pictured above), which is often spoken of as the best - or at least the most contemporary-style, restaurant in Morocco (in Marrakesh). Dar Moha was the former residence of the Pasha of Marrakesh and later of the fashion icon Pierre Balmain. To get the full Dar Moha experience one needs to sit by the pool, listening to talented Moroccan musicians.

The restaurant bills itself as "Nouvelle Cuisine Marocaine." It is not entirely clear what this means in practice. The dishes are prepared with care and have some more sophisticated spicing - and herbing - the cuisine is very much within Moroccan traditions. The couscous dishes are not notably Nouvelle. The fourteen salads are an excellent and diverse treat with interesting flavors in several cases, but there is no special technique. My wife's Couscous with Foie Gras was very congenial, but it was, after all, well-cooked foie gras and couscous. Our pastilles - pigeon and monkfish - were nicely prepared, but fairly tradition in presentation. I liked my sweet couscous dessert (with strawberries), but this too was not nouvelle, even within the canons of nouvelle cuisine of the 1970s.

Ultimately Dar Moha provides a very enjoyable meal in a lovely riad in Marrakesh, just as long as one doesn't imagine that one will discover the techniques of Paris.

Dar Moha
1, Rue Dar El Bacha Marrakech - Medina Morocco
(212) 524 38 64 00

_________________
Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

Can I just mention the deliciousness that are Moroccan salads*? In most cases, they're deceptively simple. Par-boiled carrots with a little lemon, olive oil, dash of cumin and handful of chopped parsley, for example. Or peas mixed with a couple spoonfuls of mayo. Beets prepared using a preparation similar to the carrots. Oranges, black olives and red onions in a light vinaigrette. Meals often come with several bowls of salads, and when we were there last spring, we couldn't get enough of them.

* In most case a salad is a cold vegetable dish, but you won't encounter much lettuce. It's probably a function of the paranoid tourist trade, but restaurants seem to know that most Europeans/Americans are reluctant to eat raw vegetables in Morocco if they can't be peeled. That said, I've eaten raw tomatoes & other veggies with no ill effects, but I've also traveled with family who's gotten ill from a bad glass of orange juice.**

** Which is really a shame, because Moroccan oranges are amazing. They taste like what oranges should taste like.