Marakech Offers Moroccan Taste

By April Choi

Korea Times Intern

Marakech Night II offers something new in Itaewon's international cuisine scene. It’s the place to go for those craving Moroccan food or a taste of the exotic.

Rhiti Mostafa, the owner-operator, was once a chef for the Moroccan ambassador in Seoul. A polyglot, he speaks French, Arabic and English. The family-run restaurant is cozy with only a few tables.

The restaurant is decorated mainly in red with tajine dishes and hand-made lamps scattered about. The national flag and pictures of Morocco are displayed on the wall while Moroccan music plays softly in the background.

There is also a shisa (Moroccan tobacco) or what is better known as hookah room in the back. This is wildly popular with both Koreans and foreigners; some people come to the restaurant just for this.

We ordered provincial kofta (meatballs with tomato sauce and spices), lamb kebab which came with rice and salad and pita bread. For those who don't favor lamb, alternatives include chicken, minced meat or a combo.

Pita bread (1,000 won) is similar to naan except it is a little harder in texture. Usually eaten with sauces or dips or as a sandwich wrap, we dipped the bread in the kofta sauce and the two went well together.

Kofta (8,000 won) looks like a standard meatball dish but is spicier. Well seasoned, the oval balls proved to be the favorite.

The lamb kebabs (12,000 won) were a little tough but flavorful. The yellow rice was sweet and provided a nice contrast to the meat dishes. This dish is much like Korean street food only more robust.

Coucous and tajine with prunes are the two dishes that customers seem to favor most. Demand for these dishes spiked after they were featured on SBS. The owner added that Koreans seem to like tajine because it resembles galbijim. It requires a special pot with a flat, circular bottom and a dome-shaped cover.

The meal's finale was Moroccan tea. The tea comes with sugar and was poured out of a teapot with a long, curved sprout. The Moroccans like their tea with bubbles, so the teapot is held high above the glasses and poured in two stages. Piping hot and reminiscent of black tea, it was a fitting end to the meal.

The restaurant attracts a lot of business workers and hotel people, so business booms after five. Those craving a bite would be wise to drop by for lunch. When we visited the service was a little slow, but efficient.

Marakech Night II adds flavor to the mosaic of Itaewon's restaurant culture. It's affordable, filling and something new; what's not to like?