Take yourself on a culinary journey to Morocco in downtown Vancouver. I had the pleasure to taste my way through many dishes on the menu at this restaurant that I have loved since it opened. Owned by Chef and Artist Mimo he is both passionate about the food that he serves as well as the art that he paints .
Lawrence joined me for this wonderful meal and this is what we tried.
1st dish:
Moroccan Roasted Carrot Salad, feta and lemon salad with roasted carrots, spices, lemon, fresh cilantro; great flavours and that preserved lemon really stands out.
2nd dish:
Homemade Moroccan Semolina Bread
Mimo recommended this Hungarian white wine to pair with the carrot salad, it had a slightly sweet finish.
3rd dish:
Cardamom Duck with Figs, Pear and Sesame Tagine
Halal, hormone-free and non-medicated duck confit, braised in duck consommé, pear, carrots, potatoes and figs; a delicious tagine.
4th dish:
Safran and Lemon Halal Temana Lamb Shank
Outstanding Cut, front shank 16oz , tender, flavourful lamb shank with Saffron and Marakechi spices.
Mimo recommended this French red wine to pair with the meat tagines, it tasted bitter on its own but paired perfectly with the tagines.
5th dish:
Flambed Temana Rack of Lamb
Temana high quality rack 8 chops (16-17 oz.) served with pepper salad Medium-rare recommended. Not breaded, gluten free, Marrakech spices. Serves two people.
These are some of Mimo’s paintings that you will find on the walls throughout the restaurant.
6th dish:
Crepe Suzette with Figs
Spiced crepe with fig confit and vanilla ice cream, table side flambeed with Cognac and Grand Marnier; a delicious wow experience to end an outstanding dinner.
7th dish:
Homemade Cardamom, Cinnamon, Orange Cheesecake; another dessert to end the delicious dinner; we shared both of the desserts.
Moltaqa Restaurant is located at 51 W Hastings Street in the Gastown neighbourhood in downtown Vancouver. You can make a reservation at (604) 696-4055 and follow along on Instagram @moltaqa.vancouver
By: Richard Wolak