We were at the tail-end of our three stop restaurant birthday crawl. A last-minute decision and celebration that my friend bestowed upon me, as a late birthday gift.
We have both never been to this Michelin recommended restaurant, so I thought this was the perfect climax to an already amazing night.
I have been to the original Gastown, Hastings Street location, so I thought it would be fairly familiar with the food and offerings here. That would not quite be the case, as I found their second location had a personality all its own. There was a lot more decoration here. They really focussed on providing an authentic experience, and it began with their costuming and decor.
Employees wore traditional garments with matching embroidered vests and red tassel caps. The dishware had intricate patterns, matched by their robust glassware. And the art hanging on the walls spoke to Moroccan customs and imagery. They even had a belly dancer performing for the seated guests. However, we just missed the show as she was wrapping up, by the time we were sitting down.
We started off with a bottle of red, figuring we would drink enough rounds to make the commitment worth the buy in. I always let my girlfriend, with the excellent palate, pick. She chose a bold red that needed to be aired out. So we were thrilled when the staff was able to provide a stunning decanter for our wine to sit and breathe in. Sadly, the bottle did end up being ambitious and we did not finish the wine. We ended up pouring most back into the bottle, to be taken home with us.
Fontanafredda Barolo Docg Nebbiolo, Italy
2018. With flavours of plum, cherry, licorice and spice to marry with the bolder flavours of our meal to come.
It was recommended that we also try one of their cocktails so we ordered one to contrast the wine. It was a bright and juicy, sweet fruit cocktail. Exotic with lychee and a whisper of rosewater, but without its strong floral fragrance. This did well to wash our palate clean in-between all the heavy food courses.
I also knew the manager from the original location, so after hearing that we were here celebrating my birthday, he had the servers bring over a round of shots for us. However, they ended up at the wrong table, so they made us another. Although that table wasn’t interested in keeping it, so we ended up getting them back and doubling the number of shots anticipated. Thankfully we had no problem throwing them back, although they did interfere with our ability to drink what we did order above.
At this part of the night, we were all too happy to see their complimentary Moroccan bread. Big fluffy chunks with a dusting of what resembled cornmeal for a granular crunch. Served with a garlic oil to dip them into. This is what my body was craving after all that drinking and I hungrily took all the bread in.
To start we had the Seafood Pastilla. A traditional dish made with rice noodles and a seafood medley that included scallops, mussels, calamari, shrimp, white fish, and mushrooms; all stuffed into a folded filo pastry and baked up crispy. It was like a gourmet hot pocket. A little on the salty side, so I could have used a sweet and tangy sauce as something to help break up its saltiness.
When you visit a Moroccan restaurant you have to order the tagine, if not for the pageantry, for the authenticity. This is a unique presentation brought to the table with a volcano shaped lid, removed to serve. The steam escapes, the smoke clears and you have a tender dish before you.
We went for the Moroccan Lamb And Beef Kefta Tagine with fragrant lamb & beef meat balls in a tangy and warmly spiced tomato sauce, seasoned heavy handed with herbs and spicy harissa. The bread would have been nice with this stew, if there were any left. Especially as we found this dish unbearable salty. It was to the point that we felt we had to say something to our server. Without hesitation, he removed it from our table.
We liked the fact that there was no argument, that our server took our word for face value. Definitely the actions befitting of a Michelin recommended restaurant. To this, I applaud them. However, the dish was not removed from our bill, instead they brought out a different one to replace it, valued at $3 more, that they did not charge us for.
Two Halal Lamb and Sirloin Steak Kebabs over rice and a potato salad. It was still on a saltier side, but less so. The bountiful presentation had me feeling that this was an equivalent exchange. Soft and slightly dry chunks of lamb and beef on a skewer. A hearty dish, but sadly we were quickly getting full, due to all the meals before, so I had to pack the rest ago.
And as we wrapped up, we were surprised with a slice of pistachio cake, topped with a single candle in celebration of my birthday. The staff even came out singing and the room clapped. It was a very joyous experience, a wonderful little touch that my girlfriend was hoping for at the last restaurant, that Moltaqa delivered in full.
In conclusion, I can see why they have the Michelin recommendation that they do. They went over and beyond for us. We felt welcomed at every step. Out of the three places we visited, they were the most memorable and are the one we would recommend for any celebration. The staff were courteous. And even though by the time we settled up they were out of uniform with their feet up, they still took the time to say their farewells. I have never felt more welcomed in a restaurant as a paying customer.
For a unique and authentic Morrocan experience there is definitely only one place to go. I would like to come back completely sober in order to better assess their cuisine. To fully appreciate their cocktail menu and try their food with my taste buds fully functioning. The service and setting alone is enough for me to want to return.
Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant Mainland Street Yaletown
1002 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC V6B 6J8
(604) 841-1182
moltagarestaurant.ca
