I guess the coming of Master Chef was 9 parts good and one part bad. Great that people got into cooking, but all that stuff about ‘plating up’ was a bit much for me. A nicely presented meal is nice of course, but ‘plating up’? A tad overblown methinks.
Anyway, I just thought I’d let all Troppodillians know that I’ve found the restaurant of my dreams. The Darna Authentic Moroccan Restaurant. What’s so good about it? Well pretty much everything. Every dish that was served a group of four of us tonight was superb. Even those dips that turn up as the initial course were truly delicious. Of course dips often are, but these were a bit different to your usual. And truly delicious.
The main courses were slow cooked lamb with prunes and other sweet things, and onions, and roasted almonds; Artichokes stuffed with veal and lamb meat in lemon dressing and a couple of other specials that don’t turn up on their internet menu.
The food was so delicious we were full, but managed one desert between four. It was Toubkal delight – Sweet pastry with vegetal milk, citrus water, garnished with baked ground almonds in cinnamon. Sublime with mint tea. Had we wanted more there were plenty of alternatives like dates stuffed with marzipan, crescents of toasted almonds, shbakia, coconut cookies, almond balls, ground nuts and dates in powdered sugar, phyllo leaves stuffed with marzipan and dipped in honey.
The bad news? Darna Authentic Moroccan Restaurant is in Jerusalem. So it will be some time before I make it back there. In the meantime, if you’re in town, make sure you go. It’s wonderful. Prices are normal – say high twenties, low thirties for a main. It completely lacks preciousness. Everything was presented in a very appetising way, without much sign of ‘plating up’.
I can’t think of a better restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. Ever.