Food & Drink Diary | Philadelphia | A Hidden and Fun Moroccan Spot

📍 Marrakesh This place was recommended by a classmate. Although I had heard a bit about it beforehand, it still exceeded my expectations. First of all, I didn't expect it to be so popular. I had only booked a table for 8 PM, but once again, I was incredibly lucky. When I arrived at 7 PM, there happened to be the last two-seater available, and the waiter let us sit there 😁. By the time we finished and came out, the restaurant was packed with people waiting outside! They have a fixed menu here, with 7 courses for $40. The portions are really quite large, and almost every table ended up taking leftovers home. 🌟 The first course was a selection of appetizers, including cucumber, carrot, and eggplant. The eggplant in Middle Eastern cuisine is really hard to mess up 😁. The carrot was surprisingly good—tart and sweet, super refreshing 👏🏻. The cucumber was pretty average. Also, the service here is amazing! When we were almost done with the appetizers, the waiter came to pour wine and accidentally knocked a glass into the appetizer plate. He immediately brought us a completely new plate! 🌟 The second course was some kind of phyllo pastry with scrambled eggs inside, sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. It was a strange yet familiar taste, like a dessert 😂. Here, I experienced a bit of culture shock. 🌟 There were two main dishes. One was chicken, and you could choose mild or spicy when ordering. But the spicy version just came with a side of hot sauce. The chicken was probably pan-fried or grilled first and then stewed, as the meat was almost falling off the bone. The other option was beef or lamb, and we got both. The lamb was incredibly tender, but I didn't expect it to be sweet, which gave me another little shock. The beef was a kebab, and while my boyfriend thought it was a bit tough, I really liked the seasoning 😁. 🌟 The staple was couscous, with chickpeas, potatoes, carrots, and raisins. I've always liked couscous—it has a texture very similar to millet. 🌟 Finally, there was a fruit platter, baklava, and tea. We were already so full that we could barely eat anything else. I just took a small bite of the baklava, and it was pretty average. Also, their tea was pre-sweetened 😅. I was thinking that since quite a few dishes were on the sweet side, the tea could help balance it out, but it was sweet as well... The restaurant itself is quite small and very intimate, giving the feeling of being a guest in someone's home. But later, I discovered that there's more to it inside! There was also a belly dancing performance, which was super interactive. It felt like it would be a lot of fun to go with a big group! Overall, it felt more like a culinary experience. The food wasn't exactly mind-blowing, but it was acceptable. And considering the food, portions, and service, the price was really very reasonable! However, they are cash-only, so remember to bring cash before you go! #ExoticFlavors #RestaurantRecommendation #RepeatVisit #FoodieAdventures #Philadelphia #GlobalFoodCrew #MoroccanCuisine #MiddleEasternFood #PhillyEats