Maison Touaregue, Soho, London

What a gem of a restaurant, surprisingly so given it’s central Soho, touristy location. Try to sit downstairs if you can, away from the hecticness of the street above. Decked out just as a Moroccan restaurant should be with soft, lanterned lighting, salubrious soft seating with lots of cushions and the familar low tables, it serves up delicious, authentic food.

I wasn’t that enthusiastic about eating Pastilla in Morocco, as it was made from the traditional pigeon meat. But I do like the idea of the dish itself: minced meat in filo pastry with sweet north african sprices. So it was perfect to find a chicken pastilla on the menu here, flavoured with honey and cinnamon. And it was absolutely divine. Break through the crisp and delicate filo pastry to find chicken that’s light and fluffy and so sweet, I could have eaten another portion there and then. Like a sweet and savoury Samosa I suppose. And when they saw me taking picutres of the food, they took pity on the poor tourists and gaves us a Fez to wear, which provided us with all something to talk about for a few minutes! Cous cous with sweet chutney in the middle was the perfect accompaniment. Highly recommended.

© Katheryn Rice 2007