Since we have been considering heading to Morocco for a vacation next year we thought we would look for a culinary experience to whet our tastebuds.
Surprisingly, or maybe not so much actually, authentic Moroccan restaurants are not on every block in this city.
Fortunately we do have Moltaqa, recently added to Michelin’s list of recommended eateries in Vancouver.
Inside you will find a very warm and inviting atmosphere, the air filled with the scents of exotic spices.
What with our limited knowledge of Moroccan cuisine, we relied upon our knowledgable, though to be honest not the most friendly server, to suggest a couple of dishes to try.
Her first suggestion was a Chicken Pastilla.
This is a chicken filled pastry, but the thing a North American wouldn’t be used to is the flavor combinations.
That’s icing sugar on top, not flour.
My taste buds didn’t know what to do with this. Is it dinner? Is it dessert?
But as I ate more the flavours began to make more sense.
The chicken was tender and flavourful, though the dish was perhaps a bit dry overall. And there’s enough protein there for a whole meal. Good thing we are sharing. The almonds added a nice texture, as well as complementing the chicken.
One thing I do know about Moroccan and it’s cuisine, beyond being a major world supplier of saffron, is the Tagine.
It’s a cooking device that is specially shaped to allow meat to cook in its own juices and baste itself.
We chose the lamb shoulder, couscous on the side.
That lamb was falling off the bone tender. The almonds added a beautiful nutty flavour and texture and the saffron adding it’s unique flavours.
I’ve had couscous often as a main dish or a side but eat it for its own merits. But we were suggested to use the couscous to soak up all the juices from the Tagine. Why didn’t I think of that?
This might very well be my new favorite way to eat lamb.
it’s very easy to see why Moltaqa made it on to the Michelin recommended list. A wonderful atmosphere with very good food.
As we were leaving we ran into the owner and had a good chat. While he was Italian his wife is Moroccan. You could feel and hear the passion in his voice as he spoke about his food. That level of passion really adds context to your meal.
9/10