 www.thesultanstent.com |
It doesn;t get any better than this. Do yourself a favour, pick up the phone and Call Cafe Moroc (416.961.0601) and book a Winterlicious dinner asap. They’ve extended their winterlicious service until the end of the weekend, so you might be in luck. A romantic setting, Wealthy and tasty French-Moroccan fare, and Arabian inspired surroundings accent the best possible 3 course meal for $25. Pack your bags, it’s time to escape this weather for a few hours.
There is something instantly seductive about Cafe Moroc, it starts as soon as you take a seat at the imported cafe table and glance at your surroundings. Most internationally themed restaurants tend to be cheesy; not this restaurant. The internal architecture is sharp with subtle highlights; dark lanterns, dark leather lounge chairs, the
Any recollection of cold
Maftoul; A serving of hand rolled crispy pastry. The stuffing is an aromatic and tasty mix of spiced beef, crushed cashews and raisins. The beef is rich from the infused flavouring of spices, mixing well with a mildly spicy chipotle aioli.
Sliced Smoked Duck Breast Salad; Shaved room temperature slices of juicy duck breast mixed with baby lettuces in a champagne pomegranate vinaigrette. Cherry tomatoes, perfectly semi ripe slices of mango and asiago cheese complete the light salad. The duck is delicious, and plays nice with the sour from the mango.
Braised Lamb Feat; A large slow-braised lamb shank, sitting on a bed of couscous. A sweet prune glaze compliments the tender lamb which falls off the bone easily. The couscous was made with a tomato and vegetable based broth.
Moroccan Beef Ribs; Three large seasoned ribs complimented by sweet potato and carrot puree. The biggest serving of meat, easily shareable by two. The beef is tender and mixes well with the carrot puree. Be prepared, this is a big meal.
Mango Glazed Salmon; A generous salmon steak bathing in a mango chutney coulis. The salmon soaks up as much flavour as the meat could, but it doesn’t compete against something like the Chicken Marakesh where every bite is full of world travel. Served with tender basmati.
Moroccan Treats; A small plate of 3 different treats. Slices of oranges sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon, a Moroccan cookie and a mini baklava. After the large portions and heavy flavours of the previous two courses, this almost feels like a let down.
Brulee Royale; Who would have thought that one of the best creme brulees is under the tent. Creamy custard with a perfectly crisp roof.
Winterlicious Food; Highlights included the Maftoul with its addictive seasoned meat, the braised lamb and the creamy creme brulee. Almost all items are available on the regular menu and the portions are large. A total of 8 different dishes were brought to our table, all flawless. Cafe Moroc is supposed to offer — lighter fare — compared to the Sultan’s tent, I can only imagine what’s offered in the back. Clancy’s
Winterlicious Service; Attentive and ready to help you with any inquiries. If you’re unsure which bottle of wine to order from the wealthy ensemble, just ask. The service was intimate yet unobtrusive.
Winterlicious Factor; $25 for a very hearty and filling 3 course meal, a seductive yet clean ambience and attentive service. It’s amazing that this experience cost so little. So far, it’s my best pick of the festival this year. It puts some of the other restaurants that charged $35 to shame.
