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| - Never had Moroccan food before, so really didn't know what to expect. Normally, an anglicized name like "Couscous Express" would be a turn-off, but I saw the good reviews and decided to give it a shot. I am impressed.
The menu is intentionally very simple, and at first glance may appear to be rather expensive -- after all, most dishes are $12-13 bucks. What you may not realize, however, is that by ordering a dish, you're really getting a multi-course meal. It starts with the mint tea that you're offered, which is pretty tasty, but not complimentary (I believe it may have been at some point). However, you'll also get some sort of appetizer which seems to vary depending on the day. We were lucky enough to get bowls of bisara and fresh harsha bread (looks and tastes like pita), which were delicious. Bisara is a lentil-based and intensely flavorful soup. I would've been happy with a full bowl as my entire meal. We were then served sample date shakes, which were also extremely good if a little hard to describe. It tastes a little like a very tasty protein shake, I guess. The date shake is what the owner, Abdul, is known for, so be sure to try it.
We all ordered different entrees, each of which were good, but I highly recommend a tajine, if for no other reason than the experience of receiving it in a sizzling hot pot. I got the beef tajine, and my friend got lamb. Both were excellent, with very tender meat, sweet dates, and hearty vegetable chunks. True to its name, this place has excellent couscous, which is a grain you usually don't think of as standing out on its own.
I do wish the entrees were about half as big and the prices were lower. I ended up having a ton of leftover food to take home, which isn't a bad thing at all, but it isn't nearly as good reheated as it is fresh. I'd rather go more often and eat less each time. Also, I wish it was open later, as 6:30 is a pretty early closing time and makes it hard to get dinner there.
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