viernes, 12 de septiembre de 2014

DINNING IN MARRAKECH. THE BEST 11 RESTAURANTS IN MARRAKECH

Did you know that in Marrakech you can eat very well. Very well, indeed.

There are restaurants for every taste and for every budget.
From the Riad La Belle Epoque, In this, our first post in english, we will enumerate 11 of the most luxurious and iconic restaurants in the town of Marrakech.

So, if you were wondering where to dine in Marrakech, we hope that here you will find the answer.
A classic in the night of Marrakech, the Comptoir Darna doesn´t leave indifferent anyone. Many consider it as a dinner show for foreigners but everybody recognizes its peculiar charm and accept the evening as a unforgettable experience. It is best to try .... and later, judge.



In a perfect symbiosis between East and West, Comptoir Darna offers a sensorial journey in which you not only will dine but also enjoy the visual spectacle of sexy dancers while performing the belly dance under the rhythm of the amazing blends that the DJ creates with great success..... and all this wrapped in a scent of jasmine and roses.


Moroccan and International cuisine prepared with taste and high quality with prices between 40 and 60 .

There is an interesting possibility for those of you who love to offer unique experiences. The Comptoir Darna sells a couple of menus for a minimum of two people:

FLAVORS OF EAST:

Tasting of 7 different Moroccan salads
A Moroccan starter to choose
A tagine to choose
Selection of desserts
Mint-tea and oriental pastries

The price of this menu is 400DH per person (drinks not included)

MENU ORIENTAL LUXURY Tasting of 7 different Moroccan salads
Two Moroccan starters to choose
Atlas Couscous with vegetables
Méchoui "roast lamb on the barbecue"
Selection of desserts
Mint-tea and oriental pastries
 
The price of this menu is 550dh per person (drinks not included). You can also include a appetizer, half bottle of mineral water and 1/2 bottle of wine for 200dh more per person.

To access to the gift´s certificate, just click on the link below:

  http://comptoirmarrakech.com/wp-content/uploads/voucher_soiree_offerte.pdf


GASTRO MK



This restaurant is located in the Maison MK, luxurious hotel near the Square Jemaa el Fna. It is restaurant No. 1 according to TripAdvisor users. Merges Moroccan and French food. Closed on Wednesdays and it is imperative call to reserve.

They have on offer a tasting menu for 55 which includes:

- Cold tomato soup with red pepper and cucumber and basil
sorbet

- Millefeuille of aubergine with pesto Camembert

- Leg of lamb confit with mashed carrot and potato with crispy vegetables and couscous Moroccan t'faya or mushroom tart with green asparagus and sauteed broccoli.

- Mango sorbet

- Tiramisu ice cream tart with fresh mint

- Mint tea or coffee.

Dinner begins at 8pm and the lucky ones who have been book may take a few snacks on the hotel´s terrace  from 7am onwards.

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If you have been satisfied with dinner and you're dying to know how they have prepared the dishes you've tasted, you can book fo one of their cooking classes. They have two options:

In the first, you are taken to the market where they will teach you to select the ingredients for the tagine that you will learn to cook later and all this story ends having lunch,.

Price: € 130 for two people. Duration of Activity: Half Day
 

The second options is based only in the kitchen where you will learn to make moroccan salads, your own bread, a tagine (lamb, chicken, fish ...., let them know the day before), the couscous and the mint tea ... and finally you will end eating what you've prepared.

Price: € 110 for two people. Duration of Activity: Half day.

http://www.maisonmk.com/pdf%20docs/cookingcourses.pdf




Just 5 minutes walking from the Jmaa el Fna, Pepe Nero´s Restaurant offers a Moroccan menu and another Italian.

The first is famous for the Pastella or for the Moroccan tagine. In the second, pastas, risottos, meat and fish will delight you.  Definitely the best of Mediterranean cuisine served in an exquisite setting.

Starters
80-120dh   Mains  120-160dh Desserts  90dh

It also has an extensive list of wines and other alcoholic beverages.
Spectacular restaurant in the hotel of the same name, also near the Jmaa el Fna.


They have a Moroccan tasting menu served in this room enlivened by the Arab-Andalusian music performed on flute and lute. The price does not include drinks 550dh.

We can book a cooking course. In small groups up to 10 people and with French-Arabic Arabic-English translators. The price is 600 dh per person (for groups from 4 to 10), 800 dh (groups 1 to 3). http://www.lamaisonarabe.com/es/ateliers-cuisine.html





JAD MAHAL


 


Another classic in the night of Marrakech, this place is also famous for its parties and concerts. Beautifully decorated, this prestigious palace with a restaurant with Asian-Moroccan-Mediterranean influence is a place where you can enjoy everything from simple tapas to more sophisticated dishes.


Emmanuel Crulli, from the Restaurant Félix in Cannes,  has recently arrive to direct their kitchen, offering a cuissine with southern accent.





Fresh products meats, grilled fish, and other food are assambled with surprising and delicious results. In their  Menu list you will find for example terrine of foie gras and banana chutney, grilled salmon over fennel and orange, duck breast with red fruit ...

For those looking for something more Moroccan, they have classics like grilled lamb ... Yummy.

And of course, with performances





LE TANJIA 



Located in the Mellah (Jewish Quarter) Le Tanjia is a nice high quality restaurant with generous portions of traditional dishes of Moroccan cuisine ... and with slightly lower prices than the previous options.

An excellent choice if you have not tried yet the Pastella, the tagine or couscous.

Also includes show.
















STYLIA 

Authentic Moroccan food served in a XV century palace located in the heart of the medina.

Decorated in luxury with oriental rugs, antique furniture and sophisticated tableware, tiles and walls adorned with carved stucco, rose petals on the tables and the sound of water accompanying the Arabic background music. In Stylia, chefs are women. Enjoy their specialties, wonderful Pigeon Pastella with almonds or lamb with zucchini and cinnamon.





MONTECRISTO 


This is getting hard to choose, because now we are presenting Montecristo, paradigm of modernity in the new area. Dinner is great and there is also live music; disco and terrace with retractable roof to smoke hookahs. Better watch it. If you dare click the link .......http://www.montecristomarrakech.com/http:




LE FOUNDOUK 



An oasis in the heart of the Medina.

Traditional Moroccan cuisine with a menu list with more than 15 starters between 45-100 dh and 20 mains between 100-170.

Eight different types of tagine, pastella with chicken or seafood, and delicious chef's suggestions, as pigeon pastella, foie-gras fondant or their delicious seafood Mhancha.

It has a nice living room with fireplace for chilly winter nights.






DAR MOHA


Located in the former residence of the Secretary of the Pasha of Marrakech and later home of the designer Pierre Balmin, the famous Chef Moha is in front of Dar Moha where food is served on the patio of this charming Riad around a pool entertained with traditional music Moroccan live.




In its exclusive menu list we will find dishes from 5 different regions of Morocco and among its specialties it is a must the pigeon pastella with foie gras couscous or the fish tagine with a thin layer of bechamel.

It also has a fine selection of Moroccan wines.

Starters from 95 to 120DH, mains between 90 and 200dh and desserts from 70dh.

Very near our Riad La Belle Epoque.

If you want to try before and you are around Madrid, the owners have a branch in Calle Lope de Vega, 9


 MAMOUNIA RESTAURANTS


Picture of La Marocain RestaurantAnd finally, the well-known restaurants in the hotel La Mamounia, a haven for celebrities and VIPs from around the world. Expensive, yes, but to be honest, few places like this in the world.

The Mamounia Hotel has 4 restaurants, Moroccan, French, Italian and pool pavilion. From all of them, without any doubt, our favourite is the Moroccan Riad and the French directed by Jean Pierre Vigato.

The label in this boutique hotel is a must and of course, you will need to book ahead.

And for the lucky one who can afford it, a truly luxurious experience. It is called Experience the flavors of  La Mamounia and  includes: 


-Shuttle to / from airport
- 30 min relaxing massage upon arrival
- Breakfast buffet
- Meeting with the chef, guided tour of the organic garden where you will collect the products that will be used later on the cooking course and lunch a la carte at Le Français de Jean Pierre Vigato.

- Traditional Ritual Tea in menzeh.

- Dinner a la carte at L'Italien.

- Guided tour "flavors of Marrakech."

- A Hammam "Evasion" (60 minutes)

- Dinner a la carte at Le Marocain.

(Drinks are not included with meals).


And that's all . From the Riad La Belle Epoque, we hope some of these suggestions are of your interest.

For those laziest who prefer to dine in our Riad, we have a Menu List with 4 different Moroccan Menus. You just need to let us know in advanced what is your choice. We will be delighted to serve you on our roof terrace or in the dining area in front of the fire place.