My knowledge of Morocco is limited to the 27 times I have watched Casablanca (which was actually filmed in Hollywood). So, when I was invited to experience a new restaurant that offered an Arabic Night with a Moroccan twist, images of waiters with fez caps and Sam’s piano came to mind. But Medley was different.
Chef Mama was courteous and welcoming. She walked around inviting each guest to try one of her many culinary creations that were on display. There was Seafood Tagine with lime leaves around the edges. I tried it and it was delicious. There was Chicken Tagine. There was the traditional Cous-Cous with vegetables.
I had come prepared. My friend Amine who lives in Temara, near Rabat in Morocco, had suggested I try the Bastilla so I asked Chef Mama about it and she pointed me in the direction of two dishes which looked like pastry. One was Chicken Bastilla and the other was Seafood Bastilla. I tried both. The chicken was definitely better. Nice crispy covering with a surprisingly different flavor of chicken inside.
But it wasn’t all Moroccan cuisine. Medley, is an international all day dining restaurant at the Pullman Hotel in Deira City Centre which on every Monday night transforms into an Arabic restaurant with a Moroccan twist (Buffet dinner costs Dh165 for adults and Dh70 for children). And no Arabic restaurant will survive without the Mix Grill and Medley is no exception. Next to the Mix Grill was a mound of rice mixed with chicken and vegetables. I was informed by the attentive waiter nearby that this was a Jordanian dish – maqlouba – spelled Makloupe. He was a little surprised when I mentioned to him that this is a Jordanian dish favored by those who support the Wahdat football team. Jordanians who do not trace their origins to Palestine favour the Faisaliah team and prefer to eat “mansaf.”
But let me go back to the beginning of my dining experience. The dark wooden tables where we were seated, were all decked with a golden paisley design table cloth/runner. Waiting for us was a plate overflowing with carrots, cucumber, lettuce and tomato and a selection of olives. A good Arabic restaurant always serves you some greens to munch on and Medley’s got full credit there.
There was a choice of Harissa and Lentil Soup and a massive spread of Arabic starters. The Fattoush was crispy. The small cups of pomegranate seeds with a tangy sauce that prepares your palette for the food that is to follow was particularly good. There were Kalamata olives with walnuts, salmon with capers, stuffed vine leaves and a variety of pickles. You have to stop or you ruin your appetite leaving no space for real food.
And after our main course was over we were overwhelmed by the variety of Arabic sweets on offer. Yes, there was Umm Ali which could have been a little creamier but there were so many other sweet dishes that you were once again spoilt for choice. Chocolate fondue, sweet sambousek, loqaimat and strawberry cheesecake were all there.
And then I noticed that there was Sam there after all. Maybe his name was not Sam. And he was definitely not playing a piano. But nevertheless, there he was with his bright fez cap strumming the strings of his oud and serenading us from his corner beside the huge room filled with sweets. “Here is looking at you, kid.”
