Moroccan in the Mission
Last Saturday, Dennis and Adam and Katie and I went to the fabulous Moroccan place in the Mission. I can't remember what it was called (I think it starts with 'A'), but it was on Valencia between 16th and 17th near Bombay Ice Cream.
The place is very comfortable--low light, cushioned seats and benches. It has a nice loungy atmosphere. The center of the restaurant is dominated by a small stage, where musicians play what I can only assume is Moroccan music. All attention focuses on the belly dancers when they begin their performance. The music becomes pretty loud and you can't help but watch the dancer as she sways seductively (be sure to have some small bills to tip her).
For starters, we ordered the appetizer sampler for 3. The pita came out warm and fresh. I absolutely loved the falaffel. It's crisp, not-too-oily crust gave way to blended chickpeas and yummy spices. The walnut spread was also very good. It is a little more textured than hummus, and just the tinist bit sweet. I thought that the hummus had a little too much lemon, and not enough tahini. There was another spread which may have been baba ganoush, but it didn't strike me as memorable in any way.
They then served our meat platter sampler (they all have prettier names than that), and apricot chicken. The lamb kebabs were pretty good, and so were the grilled shrimp. The shells are left on so they don't dry out on the grill. I thought that the zucchini needed salt, but after having it with the meat, I realized they were meant to be eaten together. I didn't particularly care for the apricot chicken. The jam/sauce was great (contained non-mushy chunks of apricot), but the chicken was dry. Everything is served over round-grained (saffron?) rice.
The Turkish coffee is amazing. (As in, you _must_ get it) It is thick, almost like melted chocolate, and already sweetened. Service is not a reason to come here. They are understaffed, but think of it as an opportunity for you to enjoy your food at a leisurely pace. It's all about the ambiance and the food.
Update: It's called Amira
The place is very comfortable--low light, cushioned seats and benches. It has a nice loungy atmosphere. The center of the restaurant is dominated by a small stage, where musicians play what I can only assume is Moroccan music. All attention focuses on the belly dancers when they begin their performance. The music becomes pretty loud and you can't help but watch the dancer as she sways seductively (be sure to have some small bills to tip her).
For starters, we ordered the appetizer sampler for 3. The pita came out warm and fresh. I absolutely loved the falaffel. It's crisp, not-too-oily crust gave way to blended chickpeas and yummy spices. The walnut spread was also very good. It is a little more textured than hummus, and just the tinist bit sweet. I thought that the hummus had a little too much lemon, and not enough tahini. There was another spread which may have been baba ganoush, but it didn't strike me as memorable in any way.
They then served our meat platter sampler (they all have prettier names than that), and apricot chicken. The lamb kebabs were pretty good, and so were the grilled shrimp. The shells are left on so they don't dry out on the grill. I thought that the zucchini needed salt, but after having it with the meat, I realized they were meant to be eaten together. I didn't particularly care for the apricot chicken. The jam/sauce was great (contained non-mushy chunks of apricot), but the chicken was dry. Everything is served over round-grained (saffron?) rice.
The Turkish coffee is amazing. (As in, you _must_ get it) It is thick, almost like melted chocolate, and already sweetened. Service is not a reason to come here. They are understaffed, but think of it as an opportunity for you to enjoy your food at a leisurely pace. It's all about the ambiance and the food.
Update: It's called Amira