Bab Tounès — Restaurant in Tunis

wow. i was in a hunt for traditional tunisian food, and i think i found it. we were given complimentary bread and dips, and then a duo of tunisian salads. we then had the duo of doigts de fatma, and soup of the day. for mains we had marka hlouwa and kamounia, and for dessert we had chocolate fondant and khobzet hwe.

bread and dips: as always in tunisia, we were served bread and dips. always a great start to the meal.

duo of tunisian salads: this was delicious. grilled and fresh vegetables were served topped with tuna, olives, and egg. this was the perfect start to our feast.

duo of doigts de fatma: these are what i can only compare to spring rolls, stuffed with chicken and tuna. the are so delicious, and two was the perfect amount.

soup of the day: this soup seemed to be a medley of shellfish. it was very tasty and almost broth like. served with crispy bread this was the perfect starter.

marka hlouwa: wow. this lamb shank was absolutely delicious. the flavours were amazing, with the nutty, fruity, fragrant tastes, and such tender lamb. this is one of the most delicious lamb shanks i have ever had. huge thumbs up from me

kamounia: this was a lovely fish stew with cattle fish and shrimp, served in a cumin sauce. the sauce was really tasty and there was a good amount of fish in it.

chocolate fondant: oh my gawd. this is one of the most beautiful chocolate fondants i have ever seen, yet alone tasted. 10/10. this dessert belongs in a film. no more to be said.

khobzet hwe: this was almost like a cheesecake with more layers of biscuit, with pistachios. this was amazing. would happily have this again.

overall, i had an amazing time. it was very difficult to find traditional tunisian food, and i really hope this was as authentic as it felt. the restaurant itself was beautiful on the inside, showcasing some beautiful artwork, and the staff were so friendly. i was a little skeptical at first as the restaurant is a little hard to find down down a back street, but it is worth it. if you are in tunis, YOU HAVE TO COME HERE. this was an amazing experience and i had...

The food was very good however the service left a lot to be desired. If one didn't speak Arabic or French, one was just ignored for ages. Even getting a bottle of water took 30 mins. The waiters just brought the food and the manager/receptionist seemed to manage the tables with regard to what options were available etc. The manager didn't even make eye contact with me for ages despite knowing that I am just sitting there. Being busy is not an excuse for bad service. I wasn't asked once during the meal how I found it whereas I could see him asking others that that is those customers who spoke French or Arabic. To be clear his English was not bad. It was good enough to describe the dishes. If Arabic/French speakers are the only clientele they want then maybe they should make that clear from the outset. The iftar meal was amazing and very reasonably priced but with such poor service I wouldn't...

Leave a huge tip to the bill, it is absolutely worth it!

It has been the best experiences we‘ve had so far in tunis. The menu and the dishes were really authentic and the taste was absolutely good! This was the first restaurant where we got a little bit of explanation to the dishes (very useful as a tourist) and the service was on point. They also offer a vegetarian alternative which is not less than something with meat. Very well presented and the price was just right, could have been a little bit more expensive for the quality that they offer. We are glad that we choose this restaurant! 100%...