M is for Moroccan: Original Tagines

Well, hello! Happy New Year (if you can say that in February.) My new year brings a resolution to eat at two ‘letters’ per month, which I’ve already failed. Hey ho.

G Adventures 'The Summit' at Original Tagines!

M for Moroccan might not seem like the most adventurous of choices, but I haven’t had a lot of Moroccan food in my time so was excited when a friend suggested a street in his neighborhood (Golbourne Road) that is known as “Little Morocco.” Alas, the recession hasn’t treated “Little Morocco” too kindly, so we headed to Original Tagines, near Baker Street.

Tagines are exactly what I was after. Ever since reading Jodi’s post about tagines, I’ve felt like I was missing out on something big having never had tried one. Plus, they come in really cool pottery!

So, a big group of us from work headed down to Original Tagines last Saturday to see what all the fuss was about. We sampled an array of starters – (clockwise from left: soup with lentils and chickpeas, kefta, pickled vegetables, and harissa, harissa, eggplant, hummus, and kidneys.)

Appetizers at Original Tagines.

All were tasty, but none particularly noteworthy, especially after the incredible mezzes at Yalla Yalla. I did enjoy trying kidneys for the first time and will add them to the long list of offal I enjoy.

Couscous and tagines seemed to be the obvious choices for mains. I ordered a tagine with lamb, prunes, egg, and almonds, though there were over 10 tagines to choose from, pairing vegetables, chicken, lamb, or fish with dried fruits, vegetables, or ginger.

Mains at Original Tagines.

I was impressed with how tender my lamb was, and loved the sweet/salty combinations of the prunes and meat. Everyone else enjoyed their dishes as well, though no one raved.

While I might not rush back to Original Tagines, I did get exactly what I came for- a better understanding of a classic Moroccan dish (and a nice evening out with my coworkers! Thanks guys!)

Next up ‘N.’ But since there are no Omani restaurants in London, any brilliant ideas for what I should eat for ‘O’ would be much appreciated!

Inside the tiny Original Tagines.

Details:

Original Tagines

7a Dorset Street, W1U 6QN (nearest tube: Baker Street)

meals: £20-30 each with appetizers and drinks.

(Below’s a slideshow of all the pictures I took.)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.