I recently made my first visit to Restaurant Marrakesh and enjoyed Beef Brewat Rolls and a boldly flavored Goat Cheese and Crisp Breads appetizer. For our second visit, we dined at dinner. Since Matt enjoyed with Roasted Lamb Meshoui, during our lunch he ordered it again, and we spotted a few minor differences.
We all know dinner at table service restaurants is more expensive, and the lamb was no exception. At lunch, it’s a modest $18.99, considering the portion size. At $27.99, the dinner portion of lamb is the same, however, the rice seems to be a slightly larger portion, while the zucchini salad doesn’t have much of a presence on the plate (not a big deal for Matt). The rice still didn’t have much in the way of mixed vegetables in it.
I wanted to try something new, but still wanted to keep my meal on the lighter side. I chose the Assorted Mediterranean Salads for Two ($13.99) which features falafel, sundried tomato hummus, roasted eggplant puree, and tabouleh. While the presentation of this dish wasn’t as impressive as the Goat Cheese I’d ordered on our prior visit, the amount of food certainly grabbed my attention.
The dish was served with more of the crispy flatbread that was served with the Goat Cheese. Since Moroccan bread had been served at the table, I also had that to work with, scooping up the hummus and eggplant puree (babaghanoush).
The sundried tomato hummus had a subtle sweetness. It had some texture to it, and wasn’t as thick as the “plain” hummus you find next door at Tangierine Café.
The eggplant puree was also enjoyable, with hardly any bitterness despite the presence of seeds. It was well prepared and had about the same consistency as the hummus.
The falafel was fantastic as well, and were different from those served at Tangierine Café. Tangierine offers a rounded, ping-pong ball sized falafel, while these were patty shaped and larger. They had just the right amount of crust to their soft interior.
And I don’t really need to go on more about the Tabouleh. We all know I kinda like the stuff. 
Unlike during our early lunch, we were treated to musicians and a belly dancer at dinner. The music really helped transport us to Morocco.
So we’ve established Matt would suggest the Roast Lamb Meshoui at lunch or dinner. When it comes to the appetizers I’ve ordered as meals, what are my overall thoughts? I loved them each in their own way. The Goat Cheese has a lot of bold flavors and is quite rich, and there is a good amount of tabouleh served beneath each piece. If you’ve never had it, you might want to ask the cast member if you can get a sample of it.
The Assorted Mediterranean Salads might be a better option for more of an introduction to the flavors, and there is plenty for more than two to share as an appetizer. Hummus is pretty common these days, and if you’re okay with its texture, the eggplant shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. You’d still get to sample the tabouleh, but it has its own compartment and wouldn’t be mixing with the other items. Falafel is made from ground chickpeas, not cooked ones like hummus, so they’re more along the lines of eating a hush puppy or fritter (so they’re not mushy).
If you’re unsure about spending the money at Restaurant Marrakesh, I would suggest visiting at lunch when entrée prices are less expensive. If you’re still a bit nervous, stop into Tangierine Café for the Vegetable Platter. It’s a few dollars less than either of the appetizers for two and will give you some insight to the food.
And, of course, if you have any questions, just let me know!
