Mama Morocco
302 Carlisle Street, Balaclava, St Kilda East
03 9939 0107
Moroccan
$$$
Food
- Starters:
- Pita Bread
- Matbutcha Dip
- Broad Beans Dip
- Smoked Eggplant Dip
- Moroccan Cigars
- Mains:
- Moroccan Fish
- Chicken With Apricots
- Oxtail With Green Olives
- Vegeterian Stuffed Potatoes
- Dessert:
- Sfenj (Donut)
- Moroccan Mint Tea
- Midnight In Marrakesh
The Good
The Midnight in Marrakesh cocktail was simply delightful and went down very easily, which quickly became one of my favourite cocktails ever. Dusted with cinnamon sugar, this sweet cocktail contained great fruity flavours originating from the lemon juice and fig jam syrum, which made for an exceptionally refreshing drink.
The trio of dips were definitely the highlight of the evening for me. While I obviously enjoyed the Broad Beans and Matbucha dips, the standout was undoubtedly the Smoked Eggplant Dip. The thick, creamy dip had an exceptionally bold and forward smokey flavour, delicately balanced with the actual eggplant aroma itself. Combined with the lightly toasted Pita, each mouthful was just bursting with a rich, creamy sensation. This was honestly THE best dip I've ever had. Bar none.
The Morrocan Cigar was another standout of the evening. Stuffed with a mixture of aromatic herbs and flavourful pulled beef, the filo-wrapped cigars had a crunchy outer that was fried to a perfect golden brown. Beautifully presented, these cigars was equally delicious when consumed alone, or even smothered with delicious dips.
From the mains, my absolute favourite was the Ox Tail. The protein was exceptional and slow cooked perfectly, falling off the bone and simply melted in your mouth with each bite. With the soft, gelatinous cartilage combined with an abundance of green olives and rich a tomato-based sauce, this apparently simple dish was full of complex flavours and proved to be extremely palatable. While I've never been a huge fan of olives, this dish made them very enjoyable and I just couldn't resist getting more.
The Morrocan Fish also didn't disappoint. Tender and juicy, the barramundi fillet was once again cooked to perfection. Well complemented by an abundance of tomato-based sauce with a slight hint of chilli, this fillet went down especially well when accompanied a bed of fluffy and fragrant cous cous - the best cous cous I've ever had.
The Chicken with Apricots was quite enjoyable. Exceedingly soft and poached to perfection, the protein literally fell right off the bone. Eaten with a bit of sauce and some apricots, the soft chicken was well contrasted with an abundance of crunchy almonds. Unsurprisingly, this well-executed dish had an intricate and balanced mix of sweet and savoury that made it extremely palatable.
The Mediocre
While the Stuffed Vegetarian Potatoes were outstanding in technique and execution, they were unfortunately not to my taste. The already starchy potato was further stuffed with a mixture of rice, carrots and salary, which didn't provide nearly enough differentiation between the stuffing and the potato itself. The acidity of the rich tomato sauce provided great flavour, and I 'd definitely be all over these potatoes if they were stuffed with some sort of protein.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Overall it was a highly enjoyable meal with some spectacular dishes. The dips here, were simply unbeatable as were the ox tails. I even gained a renewed appreciation for olives - something I, and many others usually don't care much for.
This was an eye-opening, and definitely memorable meal and definitely left me full, yet craving for more.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Absolutely. I am extremely thankful to have been invited to try Mama Morocco's authentic, home-cooked recipes and there's no doubt that I will be back for more. Very soon.