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Moroccan cuisine shows that lots of spice doesn't mean "spicy."
Moroccan Chicken at Bistro Pastis
To the foodies among us, the spice markets of Marrakesh and the blends of spices that feature so predominantly in its cuisine hold pride of place. Living in the south of France, I’ve had my fair share of lamb tagines and have come to love cumin in my cooking.
www.bistropastis.com
2153 W 4th Ave, Vancouver
604-731-5020
This month, John Blakely and Tobias Grignon of Bistro Pastis (don’t let their names fool you; John is French, Grignon is Canadian) are offering up their salute to Moroccan food with a prix fixé menu, offering three courses for $42.
The prix fixé includes three choices each for appetizer and main and another two for dessert.
Between the four of us we couldn’t decide what to get (it all sounded so good) so we ordered everything on the menu and played pass the plates. It’s not the best way to do it. Although none of us had food envy, we all ate more than we needed; it would be far better to try all the plates over a couple of visits.
Crab Bastilla with a saffron yogurt from the Moroccan menu at Vancouver’s Bistro Pastis.
Click the dish name on the menu to discover each dish’s pièce de resistance.
JOURNEY TO MOROCCO
April 19 – May 1, 2011
Harira
Classic Spiced Tomato and Lentil Soup
or
Crab and Bastilla
Creamy Saffron Yogurt Sauce
Chermoula Honey Grilled Quail
Orange, Mint and Butterbean Salad
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Ras El Hanout Grilled Chicken Breast
Baby Potatoes, Apricot and Green Olive Râgout, Preserved Lemon Yogurt
Seafood Tagine
Ginger, Saffron and Tomato, Crispy Aubergine
Le Couscous Royal
Grilled Lamb, Chicken, Merguez, Vegetables, Couscous and Harissa
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Orange Honey Beignet
Ginger Ice Cream
Serpent Cake
Almonds and Rosewater Phyllo Pastry, Whipped Mascarpone and Berries (pictured below)
Moroccan serpent cake at Bistro Pastis.
Harira – This classic Moroccan soup is a wonderful example of spice and herb blending (Colonel Sanders eat your heart out). The lentils are pockets of relief amidst the complexity of the spices.
Bastilla – This crab only bastilla is a more refined take on the usual cacophony of seafood’s but I especially liked the saffron yoghurt.
Quail – The tiny bird takes centre stage in this dish. It is grilled to perfection.
Ras el hanout – This is almost a westernized tagine but the green olive ragout is pure North African.
Seafood tagine – The tempura eggplant with the dish is a delicious touch of genius.
Le couscous royal – The merguez is made on site, grinding the lamb and mixing the requisite spices (including their own Harissa).
Beignet – I love fluffy doughnuts but the ginger ice cream takes the cake.
Serpent cake – A rich marzipan dessert, large enough and sweet enough to share.