Dating in DC: Belly Dancing at Marrakesh

Our decision to try Moroccan food turned out to be one of our more adventurous dining experiences in DC. Delicious but definitely unique, not for the faint of heart.

First, the place looks like nothing from the outside. There's no sign, at least not one in English. There's only a blue door. And on the night we went there, a young man sitting in a compact car parked out front, who (apparently sensing our confusion) honked at us and waved us towards the blue door.

Second, there's no menu. You can order house white wine or house red wine - those are your only choices. The meal itself is a fixed menu at a (presumably) fixed price, served family-style. We never actually saw a price anywhere; we just got a hand-written bill at the end of the night. For all we know, the table next to us was charged something completely different! :)

Third, it didn't seem to matter what time you got there; everybody got their food at the same time, because everybody was eating the same thing. And it didn't matter if you didn't want to watch the belly dancing. Everybody got to see the belly dancing, because it happened in the middle of the restaurant in the middle of the meal. Nobody got their dessert (or their check) until after the performance.

Fourth, there were no utensils. When we were first seated, our waitress brought us towels (instead of napkins) and poured water from a pitcher into a copper bowl to wash our hands. We ate the whole meal with our hands.

All that being said, the food was delicious. And I think (I hope) we got a pretty authentic Moroccan meal. This place would be great for a birthday or other special occasion, when you really want to experience something new and different.

What We Ate:

1. The Three-Salad Platter: cooked eggplants in tomato sauce, cucumbers & bell peppers in Mediterranean seasoning, and oasis carrots in coriander
2. The B'Stella: layered pie with chicken, assorted nuts, almonds, eggs, parsley and onions, topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon
3. Chicken with lemon and olives
4. Marinated Berber beef shish kebab
5. Couscous Grand Atlas topped with vegetables, chick peas, and raisins
6. Basket of fresh fruits, and hot mint tea with Moroccan pastries (for dessert)

The Scoop:

Marrakesh (www.marrakesh.us) is located at 617 New York Ave, Washington, DC 20001. Reservations are required and available by calling (202)393-9393.