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| - Cous Cous Review:
I had heard so much about the cous cous here that I had to try it. I really didn't know what to expect, especially considering that cous cous is a tiny pasta that I have always known to be somewhat bland. Well, not here.
First off, the presentation of the meal was very nice. A big pile of yellow cous cous in the middle surrounded by vegetables, with a lamb shank on the side.
The waiter, Hakim, told me to start with the cous cous as to not fill up on the meat. He said that in Morocco, the family eats from one large plate and the mother divides the meat into equal portions for the kids only after other parts of the meal have been eaten.
He was right, and the cous cous was a treat in itself. It had a texture reminiscent of the maza used in Mexican tamales, but less greasy. It had a buttery flavor and could be eaten fluffy of smashed together.
The vegetables were in what tasted like a tomato based sauce that was light and sweet. There were a variety of vegetables including bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots and peas. Similar to American beef pot roast vegetables, they were very tender and went well with the cous cous and the meat.
The meat! Oh the tender, tender lamb shank that was falling off the bone was very similar to a traditional american pot roast, especially combined with the veggies and the starch. It is exactly what I would expect a family to sit around and eat together in Moracco or here, just like I have done many times with my own family.
It was a very hearty meal, yet I didn't feel like taking a nap afterward. I was surprised to find that the flavors were very familiar, with nothing standing out as especially different from what most Americans would consider commonplace, but that is not to say it wasn't fantasatic. I'd eat this meal again, but only if I wasn't looking for a culinary adventure like I usually am when I am out and about. Like my friend John once told me while I was waiting for him at a restaurant, "Just order me the oddest thing on the menu, if they don't have anything odd, I'll take the soup."
So, in conclusion, this traditional fare is great, a safe choice for a hungry person not looking for any surprises.
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