Recipes

Monday, March 30, 2009

Restaurant Week Part 2 - Moroccan Style

Good Evening peeps! Speaking of peeps I can't wait for Easter :) But anyways...

My second adventure in Boston's Restaurant Week happened last Sunday (the 22nd) in Charlestown. A city just north of Boston, across the water from the North End :) Charlestown is a beautiful old city (or is it a town? I'm actually not sure), with gorgeous town houses and historical features. It's where they keep the U.S.S. Constitution!

The restaurant, however, was anything BUT old New England...I give you...Tangierino
I'd also like to preface this by saying that the lighting was VERY dim, and there for picture taking was a little difficult...we actually needed the waiter to re-light our little tea light candles because when we tilted them towards the food the wax put the flame out! Woops :)

The decor was so cool...Dark = blurry pics. But if you'll notice on the left side of the picture there was 1 table with people seated beneath this draped fabric tent thing over their table. It was like a little private dining tent.

There was also a belly dancer that came around.All the tables and chairs had intricate metal work on them...such detail on everything.

Downstairs is a Hookah Bar...we didn't get down there this time, but I want to sometime soon!! I don't enjoy smoke but Hookahs are cool to look at haha :)

There was a good selection of dishes...I started with a refreshing glass of Savignon Blanc...mmm. I wish I remembered the type because it was delicious!
First we were served some DELICIOUS hummus (it had a little kick to it) and plump green olives on top.Soft bread to dip
Our appetizers came out quickly...I chose a traditional dish:
Chicken b'stila - delicate domed phyllo pie of chicken, toasted almonds, and mint yogurt sauce

This was awesome! Almost like dessert with chicken. It was this phyllo filled with a mixture of shredded chicken and the almonds, but there was also a touch of spice like cinnamon and the whole thing was dusted in POWDERED SUGAR!! It almost reminded me of fried dough! My first bite was a little too sweet, but I got used to it and it because so delicious. The mint yogurt sauce was also quite sweet (I was expecting more tang), but it went well. I didn't end up eating much of the yogurt sauce but this was like nothing I've ever eaten before.

For my main course I choose the:

7 Vegetable Cous Cous - cous cous medley of braised butternut squash, baby turnips, cabbage, carrots and chick peas
It was served to me in a big Tagine.

This tagine is designed to keep condensation from escaping while cooking and therefore keeping everything moist.

The cous cous was fluffy and perfect, the vegetables were good too...however I couldn't get past the fact the all the vegetable flavors kind of blended into 1 flavor, like a vegetable broth flavor. Don't get me wrong it was a delicious flavor but I wished I could have tasted the veggies more. At least this was not a heavy dish and I felt great eating just half and taking the rest home :) You all know how much I love leftovers!

I really branched out at dessert and did NOT order the chocolate mouse layered thing...but instead opted for homemade sorbet and SO glad I did!

The flavors that night were tangerine and watermelon!! This stuff was INCREDIBLE!!! The watermelon reminded me of when I was a kid and would order Watermelon Sherbet from Friendly's or Baskin Robbins! And the tangerine was slightly creamy and just so refreshing.

Obviously I stole bites from Brian and Jocy:

I do have to say for a Chocolate Mousse dish, this was not as heavy and filling as more are. There was a layer of white, milk, and dark mousse (if you couldn't already tell from the picture).

I also had tastes of their main dishes: Jocy had the lamb, Brian had the duck. Both were delicious and both also had hints of cinnamon!

I definitely would come back here...I really haven't been exposed to this type of food before and its so unique and flavorful!! Brian LOVES cinnamon so he was in heaven!

Per usual, its past my bed time!! Good Night!

12 comments:

  1. INCREDIBLE CUISINE!!! I'm all over that homemade sorbet ;-)

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  2. HOW cool! I have always wanted to go to a restaurant that has a belly dancer! Mmmm hummus!

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  3. sounds pretty yummy to me! and WATERMELON SORBET :) i am such a sucker for the friendly's version, maybe i'll have to try to recreate it this summer...

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  4. I would love to visit a good Moroccan restaurant. The cuisine really interests me. I haven't had alot before, at least not cooked for me :) The sorbet is very cute, and sounds like a good flavour combination.

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  5. Looks fantastic!! I haven't been to a Moroccan restaurant but it's on my list of things I want to do!

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  6. That restaurant looks fabulous!! The food sounds wonderful as well :)

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  7. homemade sorbet sounds wonderful.

    I love your restaurant week picks and recaps! I feel like I was there.

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  8. oh myy incredible for sure!! I HATe when i can't remember the specific wine label for future ref :D

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  9. gosh, I've GOT to give moroccan cuisine a try! I can't believe what I've been missing!
    that dessert like chicken? right up my alley! YUM!

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  10. so excited for you re: honeymoon almost all the way booked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  11. This place looks awesome! My husband hates cinnamon but I bet I can get some girlfriends to go there with me :)

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  12. What a fun dinner experience. I love your restaurant reviews and open mind to trying new foods/flavors. Yay for restaurant week!

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