Jewish Moroccan cooking.

photo: Angela Brkic

"In Morocco, Jewish cooking is still rated as one of the four best styles in the country, on the level of those of Fez, Tetouan and Marrakech." -Claudia Roden

When we came across a restaurant review which included the quote above, we began wondering is the great Claudia Roden right? We would love to hear what you think. Here is part of the review of an Australian restaurant. the reviewer was Helen Greenwood. It was published in the Sydney Morning Herald and described the cuisine as "middle-eastern" - oops.

Moroccan Feast suggests an evening of home-cooked abundance, redolent with spices, full of "contrast and surprises", to quote the wonderful food writer Claudia Roden. But the voice on the phone sounds more Israeli than North African.

Unable to resist, I put the question. "Yes," says the voice, which belongs to Yariv Rozen, "I'm from Israel but my father came from Morocco and I also have two Jewish Moroccan ladies in the kitchen."

So what is the difference between Moroccan and Moroccan-Jewish food? "It's all Jewish," Rozen says. He's only partly joking.

Roden says: "In Morocco, Jewish cooking is still rated as one of the four best styles in the country, on the level of those of Fez, Tetouan and Marrakech."

Moroccan Feast may be Jewish at heart but its decor is very much Marrakech. There are mosaic-tiled table tops and mosaic-style painted plates on the walls. Spice-coloured fabrics cover the banquettes, delicate metal fretwork frames mirrors and make wall sconces. Coloured lanterns hang from the ceilings and wrought-iron screens are on the floor.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news