Restaurant Dar El Kaid — Restaurant in arrondissement de Sidi Belyout مقاطعة سيدي بليوط

This place earns its reviews and reputation. My wife and I had an overnight layover in Casablanca flying home from Italy on Air Maroc, so we got settled into our hotel near Hassan II and walked here through the Medina Ancienne for a 10pm dinner. The Medina itself is an experience--and then you walk through winding alleys and emerge at an unassuming door. You walk inside, and all of a sudden, you're in an ornate, multi-story palace.

If you're here, you're here just as much for the atmosphere as for the food, but both are excellent. We sampled as much of the menu as we could, and it's hard to give recommendations when everything is outstanding, so just order whatever you're in the mood for. That includes the mocktails, by the way, which are kind of a specialty at Moroccan restaurants since there is no alcohol.

At the end of the meal, the greeter walked us to the main avenue to the north of the restaurant, got a taxi for us, and negotiated a price to our hotel. Perfect service.

My understanding is that the wait staff spoke adequate English--since I speak French, I got around in Morocco using that, which is advantageous compared to English most of the time, especially with taxi drivers. But here, you can do English...

1 october 2024 @21:44 This restaurant is located within the walls of this Public Market. You'll enter one of the side entrances to the Market and when you see a Water Fountain, the Entrance to this Restaurant is to your right. There was always someone outside trying to lure you in. It's a very unexpected place to find this restaurant, but was very beautiful inside.

No alcoholic beverages here.

3 floors, there's also an elevator. NOTE: The roof has a really nice view for pictures!

Food was well presented, but honestly was not worth the price. Small portions. There were regular Moroccan dishes that could have been purchased half the price at other restaurants with better flavors.

There were friendly and professional staff.

Entertainment was what we're paying for here (I think). There was a live band who played really interesting and nice Moroccan Music, and one belly dancer who came out to do a quick performance. I believe I was maybe expecting more.

Ordered: Kebab Magdour 240 MAD Tajine D'agneau 240 MAD Vegetarian Couscous 120 MAD Carrot/Orange Juice 60 MAD The Marocain 30 MAD Moroccan Tea 40 MAD Total: 730 MAD ($74+/- USD)

Credit...

This hidden gem of a real Moroccan restaurant is within the old Medina, so you have to go inside to get to it. Going in from the Ave des FAR side, there is a large sign directing you there. Once you go in, it's another world. You leave the scrubby, simple look of the Medina and are in a beautiful, polished, multi-level Riad style interior, with beautiful decor and ultimate quietness. They have a place to take reservations on their web site, but for our night there was plenty of room (we ate a little earlier than the busy time).

The food was outstanding, the tangines seasoned and cooked to perfection. The breads were amazing and the olives (both green and black pressed into a paste) equally great. Service was good and there's little to say in the negative about this place.

So glad we looked it up when we were in Casablanca, and it's highly recommended both for the food and for the atmosphere of having to walk even just a little through the bustling Old Medina to get to it. Definitely consider it for some really great...