A taste of Morocco

It was my last weekend before leaving for Korea. A plan was hatched to get a group of people together to go to the Can Can in Pike Place for dinner and a show. By the time the weekend had arrived, plans had shifted because a lot of people couldn’ make it. So we decided to go to Mamounia, a Moroccan restaurant on Capitol Hill that has belly dancing. *senses a theme* (Next time, popsicles and tap dancing! Just kidding. *laughs*) After a series of calls that changed our reservation from six people to just the two of us then up to four, we ended up with six people again by the time we got to Capitol Hill. *bewildered*

From the outside of the restaurant, we couldn’t see anything because the windows were tinted. *aura of mystique* But as soon as we walked inside, my eyes were attacked by an overabundance of COLOR!! The walls and ceiling were draped with fabric and a couch adorned with plump pillows lined the wall. The tables were small and low and the rest of the seating looked like lowered ottomans. They were promptly dubbed “butt cushions” by the rest of our party once they arrived. *laughs* (Matt and I had arrived first and were soon joined by Jordan, his two roommates and one of his roommate’s cousins.) The drama quickly unfolded after that.

It seems that the group, less Jordan, had already eaten and was only joining us for drinks and to watch the belly dancing. Unfortunately, the waitress requested they be seated in the bar area because the seating in the dining area was only for patrons who were dining. There was only room left for four people up at the bar so we couldn’t move over there as a group. The cousin was pretty pissed but I don’t think what he said really mattered since the waitress didn’t seem to understand what he was saying anyway.

The three of them moved over and sat at the bar while Jordan, Matt and I ordered. Well, we tried to order. The waitress took forever to come back. The couple at the next table confided that the food was really good but the service was really, really slow. *wastes away to nothing waiting for the waitress to take our order* Jordan’s friends had already had a few drinks and decided to go to the Garage for more so we arranged to meet them there after dinner. If we ever got dinner…

The waitress did eventually come back to ask us what we wanted to eat. The menu was really interesting! We each picked our own main entrees but the dinner came with an assortment of other dishes. But best of all, no utensils! Heather would love this place!! (Heather has a penchant for discarding silverware in favor of eating with her fingers much to Mom’s eternal dismay.) The waitress brought out a basin and a kettle of rose water to rinse our hands before serving us our food.

***The various main courses featured on the left and right with Chicken Nanaa in the center***

We started with a traditional lentil soup. Then we were served a plate with beetroot salad, cucumber salad and carrot salad. They were all really good although I was worried that the beets would stain my fingers maroon forever! *frantically wiping them on my napkin after every bite* Then she brought out an appetizer called Chicken Nanaa. It was chicken baked between sheets of phyllo dough then thoroughly doused with powdered sugar and a hint of cinnamon. The powdered sugar was interesting but it was super yum anyway.

Finally, it was time for our main course. Matt and Jordan had ordered the same thing, the Mamounia Brochettes Trio. It was a grilled beef kebab, a grilled chicken kebab and a grilleod lamb kebab on saffron rice. Matt said the hardest part was eating the rice with his fingers! *grin* Jordan didn’t even bother and went straight for the bread. I had ordered Chicken with Oranges which was SO GOOD! It was chicken in a cinnamon broth with mandarin orange slices. Yum!! Afterwards, there was a light dessert with heavily sugared mint tea. I really liked it!

Oh. But the belly dancing… *puhahahahaha* I would have to say that it was potentially compromising in regards to my digestion. The woman appeared out of nowhere in a bustier of crushed red velvet. She wore a matching low slung skirt that would have been overly tight had it not been for the slit that reached almost a little too high. What startled me the most was I think I had been expecting someone a little more…foreign? (She was white. Wait, is that not politically correct? CAUCASIAN?!?) Her red painted mouth was alarming in its perpetually stretched state of a bright smile. *scared!*

Honestly, I think we had more fun discussing the plastic Barbie across the way who was dining with a man at least twice her age. *surreptitiously staring so hard she must have noticed* I found her clothing coordination skills fascinating. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who had matched their headband, bra, belt and shoes down to the exact same shade of coral. (Yes, her bra was strategically positioned to show just the slightest above her really low neckline.) And when they finally stood up to leave, I came to the startled realization that the jacket she was putting on was longer than the dress she was wearing!

We did end up going to the Garage with the intention of staying just a little while. To make a long story short, we ended up staying for far longer than anticipated due to a random series of events which left me nonplussed. And somehow Jordan was abandoned by his companions in the process so we drove him home. *DRAMA!!* Anyway, I had a good time!