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| - A difficult venue to place judgment, for a person whose relevancy to Moroccan culture is as sharp as Sarah Palin's interview responses.
I had an enjoyable time, and that is largely contributed to the great company I brought with me. And although my experiences was overall a positive one, suspicion is unshakable regarding whether or not if it was actually authentic.
The location was convenient enough, yet somehow I still managed to pass it twice before finally finding the front door.
I got inside, and waited patiently for the Maitre'D, until I realized that the restaurant was actually deeper inside the premises. Apparently I was only at the Cafe, once I was seated inside the 'Sultan's Tent,' did I begin to take the atmosphere in. It was like a tent alright, the magical ones that I've only seen in the Harry Potter movies, where you walk into this small inconspicuous outer shell, and arrive at a desert oasis (with pub-like lighting).
This place is only suitable for large groups, or couples. The seating is wall mounted booth chairs for groups of 6+, or the alternative..a(small) table for two on the other side, leaving room in-between for the dancers to come out. It almost felt like a nightclub, with the exception of an environment that is less hostile.
The wait for the food was painful, I think it took around forty-five minutes from ordering, to the arrival of the entrée. So I ended up ordering lots of wine. I called ahead because on their website there was no wine menu, but the lady assured me that because their wine selection was so extensive, they couldn't put it all on their website. Talk about a poor excuse. How extensive could it be? I couldn't imagine it being bigger than 360's, or Barbarians. Not a chance.
There was altogether six of us, and we all loved food, so I think we just about ordered everything on the menu. I didn't hear any complaints, and I had very little myself. The food was excellent, even if I didn't know half of the things I ate. The 'Maftoul" and braised lamb stood out...the Seafood Royale however, did not.
The belly dancers was an enjoyable post-dinner experience. They will grab you and encourage you to dance with them, as they will garnish you with their jewelry. Best to keep your shy friends at home.
There are two shows on weeknights, and three on Weekends. Which means your clock starts ticking from the time that you arrive. They were tedious with bringing the food out, but they wrap up like a roadshow carny, and I felt at the end I was pretty much rushed out of the restaurant. I guess that's dinner-theatre.
Interesting themed venue, good food, good show, and I learned absolutely nothing about the Moroccan Culture.
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