Given that the January sales are on, there are minimal shoppers, just the occasional loafer strolling almost aimlessly around Boutik Mall. But that’s fine – we’re not here to shop. We’re here to eat and check out another mall restaurant, La Passion.
Situated opposite Italianissimo on the ground floor of Boutik Mall, La Passion appears more like a café on approach – it is a small, but airy establishment. There only appears to be one waitress on duty due to the size of the restaurant and she greets us with a smile and shows us to our comfortable armchairs.
There is an array of authentic Moroccan dishes to choose from on the menu, with a lengthy list of tagines, meats from the charcoal grill and salads. Feeling in the mood for something light to start off with, we order a sharing starter of batata mchermel – potato cubes with chopped onion and capsicum flavoured with garlic, coriander, fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice and Moroccan olive oil. We also choose the foul mchermel – fava beans flavoured with the same ingredients as the potato.
The salads are presented in typical Moroccan-style clay pots. We dive in, excited to try the refreshing sounding mix of flavours on the potato and fava beans. To our disappointment, both dishes are bland and we wonder how something with such a combination of ingredients can lack so much flavour. The beans are nice and plump, yet frustratingly they lack bite and the promised zesty flavours. The complimentary black olives and bread with oils proves a more fulfilling and popular appetiser.
Our underwhelming starter put to one side, we look at the rest of the menu, which is difficult to choose from, with such a vast selection of Moroccan specialties on offer. We decide on the seafood tagine – fish fillet marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, an array of spices, served with potatoes, tomatoes and capsicum. Our companion chooses the lamb tagine – braised lamb leg cooked with onion, seasoned with black pepper and cinnamon, and served with ‘delighted’ prunes in honey, fried almonds and toasted sesame seeds. We still don’t know why the prunes are so happy.
Presented in the classic clay cookware, our tagines arrive and the waitress lifts the lids to bubbling cauldrons of brightly coloured, eye-catching food. The aromas fill our nostrils with the smell of a Moroccan spice market and the dishes look
so appetising we want to Instagram our #food.
The only problem is, the clay tagine pot retains the heat so well, the bubbling pot of food doesn’t cool down. Not being able to wait any longer for the food to cool, our first mouthful burns our tongue. The flavours and spices still come through, and the fish has a spicy kick to it from chili not mentioned on the menu. There are generous chunks of fish to be found and it’s cooked well so it flakes off easily and carries the flavours surrounding it.
The lamb is tender and falls off the bone, and the subtle cinnamon kick is enjoyable. The flavours released from the prunes in honey blend in well with the juices from the meat, and the almonds and sesame seeds provide an extra texture that we enjoy.
Although scalding hot, the tagines make up for the underwhelming starters. We’ll know to choose more carefully next time.
The bill (for two):
Fava beans Dhs16
Potatoes Dhs16
Fish tagine Dhs70
Lamb tagine Dhs65
Total (excl. service) Dhs167
