The Vibrant Culinary Experience of Morocco

Being about four months into my time in Morocco, I’ve been able to indulge so many different types of cuisine. Travelling around the country, attending different events, and even just exploring around my neighborhood has allowed me to sample so many new types of foods, dishes, and spices. I love trying new foods and I’ve grown to realize it’s not only one of the best ways to experience a new culture but an excellent way to immerse yourself in the community and passion that revolves around food!

I love the diversity within Moroccan cuisine. While having traditional Amazigh, Arab, and Middle Eastern roots, there are additional French, Spanish, and Mediterranean influences that create such a unique fusion of culture. Luckily, I was able to learn about Moroccan food in its most authentic, traditional form through my time in the commune of Ighil N’Oumgoun, a rural village in the High Atlas Mountains. Here, there wasn’t a restaurant, café, or even grocery store in sight; everything is grown, harvested, and consumed in its most original form. I truly got to eat like a local and share in some of the BEST homemade meals I’ve ever had.

Traditional Moroccan breakfasts consist of lots of bread- which was something I definitely had to get used to as someone who typically eats a lighter breakfast. While in Ighil N’Oumgoun, we would enjoy platters of khobz (a round flatbread), beghrir (a spongy pancake), batbout (similar to pita bread), and m’semmen (a fried, flaky flatbread). Olive oil, butter, jam, and cheese are typically spread on the bread, and there were additional cakes, dates, almonds, and harira (a dried lentil, chickpea, fava bean soup) on the side.

Our lunches and dinners consisted of a variety of tagines, one of the most popular dishes in Morocco. While it varies, it’s a mixture of meat (beef, lamb, or chicken) and veggies cooked inside a clay tagine pot. You can get it at pretty much any restaurant, cafe, or street shop in Morocco, but the tagine I had in Ighil N’Oumgoun was by FAR the best I’ve ever had. Tagine is eaten as a communal dish, with everyone dipping their hands into the steaming pot and taking their portion- there’s no need for any silverware!

Moroccan food cannot be discussed without mention of their national dish: couscous! As an already avid couscous lover, I was so excited to try Moroccan couscous- which not surprisingly is a million times better than the Whole Foods boxed version I’m used to. Most places only serve couscous on Fridays, a tradition started in the 7^th century when the Maghreb would eat couscous after their midday Friday prayers. The couscous dishes I had in the rural regions of Ighil N’Oumgoun and Ourika were so delicious and beat out any restaurant couscous I’ve had by FAR.

I’ve also been lucky to attend several special celebrations during my time in Morocco, which are often centered around the enjoyment of many special, homemade dishes. I was the guest at a wedding for two of my coworkers, which was such an incredible cultural celebration to witness. Although I didn’t realize we wouldn’t eat dinner until almost midnight, the food was worth the wait! We started with a traditional Moroccan cold salad and then enjoyed the main dish of an olive oil and seafood pastilla. Pastilla is a sweet and savory North African dish similar to a thin, crispy pie filled with meat- or in this case, shrimp and fish.

I’m a huge fan of Moroccan desserts and pastries which have unique, sweet flavors. Popular desserts include, kaab el ghzal (a crescent shaped cookie filled with almond paste), chebakia (deep-fried dough rolled in honey, orange blossom water, and sesame), ghoriba (sesame shortbread cookies), briouat (a sweet puff pastry), and mhancha (an almond, cinnamon, orange wrapped dough). Other well-known desserts such as crêpes, cakes, and croissants are also popular.

During the month of April, Morocco observed Ramadan. As a non-Muslim who has never really experienced what Ramadan looks and feels like within an Islamic state, it was certainly adjustment. With the mornings and afternoons consumed by a slower-paced lifestyle, prayers, and fasting, the evenings were for Iftar, or the breaking of the fast- meaning lots of delicious food! I partook in a few Iftars with my coworkers, where everyone brought dishes in a pot-luck style meal. Pushing myself to cook something new, I got really into making shakshuka, a North African and Middle Eastern dish of poached eggs in tomato sauce. It’s super easy and quick to make and will definitely be a meal I continue to make in the future!

 The coastal city of Essaouira has easily become one of my favorite places, and after several trips I’ve been able to try lots of amazing seafood dishes here. While the restaurants are amazing, my favorite place to stop for a quick bite is Sqala du Port, the fishing port.

Amongst the swarming seagulls and the endless booths of fish, crabs, and eels are few stands that sell raw oyster, clams, and mussels. For only seven dirham you can have the freshest oyster with a dash of horseradish and lemon drizzled on top. And they are DELICIOUS. I look forward to getting some every time I visit!

Marrakech is an amazing city for food. In addition to Moroccan dishes, you can pretty much find every time of cuisine here including French, Spanish, Italian, Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan African, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai. One of my favorite restaurants I’ve discovered is Kabana, a beautiful rooftop bar overlooking Koutoubia mosque, often hosting live music or DJs. While their creative cocktails are a highlight, their wide selection of food has always amazed me. Some of my favorite dishes have been the parmesan and truffle fries, garlic prawns, sirloin burger, fried calamari black rice aioli, and the lamb shank with truffle gnocchi. Not only is the atmosphere of this restaurant a blast, but the food and beautiful sunset views make for a great experience.

My parents recently visited Marrakech, and I hunted for well-rated restaurant to really show them the amazing food of Morocco. I landed on Riad Casa Lalla, a riad and restaurant in the middle of the medina. Although this place is actually rated the 4th best restaurant in all of Africa, it was almost impossible to find without a guide who took us through winding back alleys to the unsuspecting main door of the riad. With such a prized title, I was interested to see how good the food actually was- and we were not disappointed in the slightest. I can hands-down say this was the best meal I’ve ever had in Morocco! They had two menu sections: international food on one side and an elevated spin on traditional Moroccan dishes on the other. We started off with their traditional chicken pastilla, which was the perfect mix of sweet and savory. From that very first bite, I knew we were in for a treat!

My dad ordered the chicken couscous, which was topped with sweet tfaya sauce and fancy garnishes. While you would never typically see couscous plated this way, it was absolutely delicious with the meat and couscous melting in your mouth. My mom ordered the slow-cooked lamb with dried fruits, which looked phenomenal. I ordered the medallion of beef which was served with a porcini mushroom sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly, and I could’ve drunk an entire bowl of the mushroom sauce. We finished things off with a selection of Moroccan pastries and washed everything down with mint tea of course. The meal was accompanied by live traditional Moroccan music, making for a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy the most incredible meal! If you ever visit Marrakech, I cannot recommend Riad Casa Lalla enough!!!

With my parents in town, I also took them to Dar el Bacha, a historical palace turned museum. However, our primary goal wasn’t to see the museum exhibits, but to actually visit the coffee house inside. I’ve heard so much about how incredible Bacha Coffee is, from amazing reviews to the typical two hour wait for a table. With the museum opening at 10am, we were shocked to find a line formed outside the main doors 20 minutes before opening! After a bloodbath to get our tickets and put our names on the café list, we waited about 1.5 hours for a seat. While this may seem a bit crazy just to get a cup of coffee, it was 100% worth it. The café has an exquisitely decorated, colonial atmosphere and has over 200 Arabica coffees selected from over 30 regions around the world. The coffee menu had over six pages of single origin coffees, subtle blends of coffee, coffee with delicate flavors, and naturally decaffeinated coffees, all sourced directly from organic growing, harvesting, and processing techniques. Every single cup is roasted separately by hand, using traditional preparation methods so the beans don’t lose an ounce of flavor.

It was so fun to just browse the menu and gawk at the hundreds of different coffee options. While most coffees cost about $4, there were a few unique options. One blend from Brazil was a whopping $127 per cup! When we asked our waiter why it was so expensive, he explained that it’s a rare blend from the mountains where they only produce 8kg of it per year. Another blend (kopi luwak) is from Indonesia, and made from coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. The rich flavor comes from the fermented cherries as they passes through the civet’s intestines. Unique!

Overwhelmed by the endless options, each of us took a recommendation from our waiter based on our personal coffee preferences. I had the Café Happy Glanduja, an Arabic blend with Italian hazelnut accents. My dad had the Café Surabaya Gold, a bold Asian, Africa, Arabian blend of Corsican coffee. My mom had the Café Siena Breakfast, an Italian blend with light notes of cocoa and milk chocolate. They truly have something for everyone! This was some of the best coffee I’ve ever had, served with homemade whipped cream and grated vanilla bean flakes.

We also shared a few of their breakfast items including the black truffle eggs, an almond croissant, chocolate pistachio croissant, a few more assorted pastry items, fresh juices, and a fruit platter. As an avid coffee-lover, I had the time of LIFE here and enjoyed every single moment. Not only was the coffee and food delicious, but the eclectic atmosphere and great service made for such a fun dining experience that was entirely worth the crazy hype and certainly lives up to the hype in my opinion. It was truly a coffee-lover’s paradise!

Being in Morocco has exposed my food pallet to so many new dishes, cooking styles, and flavors- from traditional meals in the mountains to luxury coffee experiences. As someone who is definitely traveling on a budget, it’s a relief that the majority of food in Morocco is actually very affordable and reasonably priced for the quantity and quality you receive. But treating myself to a fun dining experience every once in a while is one of my favorite things, especially when guests visit. A big thank you to my parents who are kind enough to enjoy (and fund 😀) some of these food experiences with me. I attribute my love for good food to them, and I’m so grateful they were able to visit and we could share in some special meals and delicious foods we will always remember.