Ideed bezzef!

Yes I know this is not an appropriate start for a journal about eating out in Tallinn, but I just got back yesterday from Morocco and all the memories are just too fresh to ignore them. I had wonderful time on my journey - drove for almost 1000km from Tangier to Fes to Marrakesh, tried every possible street food, quite often not knowing what exactly I was eating.

Had some really good dining experiences and some bad, but hey, without the bad for comparison, how would we ever know quality. Loved the beautiful country, loved the people and oh yes loved the food.

My adventure started in Malaga( Spain) just for the sole purpose of taking the ferry from Europe to Africa and I was fortunate enough to be directed to a little perfect restaurant just few blocks away from the place I stayed at(El Riad Andaluz), Restaurant Citron. The food was good, I had grilled queso for appetizer and it was just right, nothing healthy about it. Well I tried to be good and had spinach salad as a main meal. It was alright, I personally prefer my spinach to get a quick whirl on a hot pan before ending on a plate, this one was raw, other wise it was enjoyable.

But what I remember the most, was the atmosphere in there, it was pretty late, but it was a mix of everybody. People on first dates, single or divorced dads with their kids, couple of birthdays and few bigger groups of friends having good time with comfort food and good wine, and it was a week- night. Too bad you don't really get a mix of people like that eating out together in Tallinn. Must be a cultural thing...

Next day was possibly the most fun meal experience of the trip, in Algeciras, right before getting on a ferry. A tiny hole in a wall for tapas - had cold beer and wonderful calamari frites plus an offer to buy dope before I was able to finish my first beer. In case you were curious I declined.

Destination - Tangier, Motif Principal du Voyage - unknown. What a great, street-smart, but honest city. There is very little that feels touristy about Tangier, even though it gets boat-loads of them. I was also lucky enough to be there before the season starts. Well, long story short it's gotta be one of my favorite cities from now on.

Except that I had the worst meal of my trip the first night out. The place looked promising, there was a definite possibility that I was a first tourist to sit down at the table in the place that looked like a cross between an old Atlantic City shit-hole casino and a chain pizzeria. I had Gambas pil-pil and it was bad, real bad. Well, enough of that.

The next night though Tangier gave me a real tender surprise in a form of a succulent Bastilla at
a thoroughly unassuming restaurant Agadir. Yes I am aware of Bastilla's Andalusian roots, but some-how the spicy pigeon inside it and cinnamon and powdered sugar on top exemplifies perfectly the way Tangerines mix their spice and sweets.

After a long drive to Fes I was too tired to go and look for a culinary adventure, so I decided to have dinner at the Riad Dar Dmana, which is by the way an absolutely gorgeous museum-like boutique hotel type of facility. The food was excellent if not little boring - chicken tajine. I did have fun with bessara and the other purees on the table, most of them with lovely hints of cumin, honey and cinnamon.

Oh and I should have mentioned this before - The a la Menthe, what a great drink and I thought that bunch of fresh mint only belongs in Mojitos.

Somewhere half way from Fes to Marrakesh was probably the most dramatic dining experience of the whole trip.
The still bleeding carcases of sheep were hanging just inches from me and the others, while we were gorging on grilled lamb and some bread. I will not forget this one, adding to the experience was the 45 C degree temperature all around us.

Reaching Marrakesh was just too late to look for a place to eat so we ended up enjoying couple of bottles of S de Seroua on the roof-top of Riad Amira Victoria and what a view. At that very moment I felt like one of the characters in those great books I used to love as a kid about distant places and intrepid adventurers. Well all this while I was comfortably lounging with glass of wine in my hand.

All together the whole experience of Marrakesh was just one big orgy of eating and drinking. Had lunch with local workers on a lunch break, I think it was tripe. Looked like it, but did not taste like it. Anyway it was good. Stopped at way too many stalls, carts and holes in a wall for you name it - lambs head, dried dates, all kind of sweets and oh yes harira, a simple soup that reminds me a little bit of pasta fagioli from Italy across the sea. Well, I developed a favorite harira cart at Djemaa el-Fna.

The second night after asking for a recommendation from our host, who by the way spoke fluent English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and I assume Arabic, we ended up at a Restaurant Le Marrachki. Let's be honest - a joint for tourists with a belly-dancer and a balancing act that involved a older over-weight lady and a tray with burning candles on it. Needless to say a little scary and not because of the candles.

Here's my menu from that night
Bastilla au Poullet
Boeuf Facon Tanjia
"Knaffa" Bastilla a la Creme
loved the bastillas

For conclusion - there were many other dining experiences in Marrakesh, some good to great, some not so memorable, but one thing's for sure Morrocon cuisine will stand next to Cajun Creole, French, Thai and Italian as one of my favorites.