3/14/2010
WOW!!! I took my friend to Marrakesh this past Saturday for her birthday. WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! The ambience is unbeatable and WARM with tents, lamps, colorful cushion's on the floor (u can also sit on a comfortable loungy bench with pillows if you prefer). The server comes out in traditional Moroccan clothing/fez hat and poors water over your hands from a beautiful silver kettle before your meal. The BELLY-DANCER was a real HIGHLIGHT as she was playful/interactive/got everyone in a jovial mood, made everyone feel at ease with themselves and each other in this more intimate and communal of spaces than your average isolated Western dining experience . After she swept through, tables were actually interacting/talking with each other. The BELLY DANCER even got a few customers up on the floor to show them how to dance with her-which made everyone more FAMILIAR with each other as we shared this experience together and heartily applauded the brave souls who joined her on the floor and laughed WITH the two guys that hammed it up on the floor following her lead..WONDERFUL!!!) With such ambience, I was worried (as is the case with so many places) that you would be paying for the ambience and experience mediocrity in the food: NOT SO HERE!!!First of all, I should say that my friend has gluten-allergies and the staff very patiently worked with her to find the best options (and they have plenty...this IS A GLUTEN-FREE FRIENDLY place!) She was still able to get a DELICIOUS (I tried a little of her dish) full meal of SALAD, TANGINE OF CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS, SESAME SEEDS, etc, & DESSERT! (If you have Gluten allergies, Tell you're server & Chose from the Ala Carte Menu). You normally have to buy into their 5-course meal, but they were nice enough not to charge her for all of that as her food allergies would not have been able to tolerate some of the dishes.I on the other hand went for the full five-course meal and was not disappointed (I initially thought that sounded like way too much food, but the portions are perfect, balanced, and well-paced). You start off with a warm/delicious. Lentil Soup wich you drink from a pleasantly cup-shaped bowl. You then recieve a Morrocan Salad (which you eat with your hands-it's not as difficult as it sounds). Thirdly, they serve you a powdered phyllo dough stuffed with nuts and spinach? (whatever it was, it was not my favorite but decent/intresting and the most exotic.) I moved on to my full entree of Couscous Marrakesh with Lamb and Seven different veggies-which was OUT OF THIS WORLD (there are more creative items on the menu but I don't get a chance to have THE REAL thing very often and this was CLEARLY TOP-NOTCH!!!), and finally desert (the 4th course) was a spiced fruit cup. Of course followed by the unsurpassable MORROCAN MINT TEA-which was a lovely way for us to relax, not feel rushed, and continue to enjoy the company/conversation of the couple at the next table.HIGHLY RECOMMEND! (Make Reservations, this place is VERY POPULAR). I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK and my friend pleasantly confirmed that it was the BEST BIRTHDAY DINNER she had ever experienced!!!
Please see and read the following link:http://dinnerandamovieblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/marrakesh-moroccan-restaurant-treat-for.html
"Seattle Best" December 2003 :
"free entertainment with a meal. one doesn't have to fly halfway around the world to get an authentic, Moroccan experience when dining in Belltown's Marrakesh restaurant.while you're seated on soft leather sofa, tearing apart tender chunks of stewed lamb with your hands, belly-dancing beauties shimmy, shake and sashay down the restaurant's Moroccan rugs. You're sure to get an eyeful, as well as a mouthful. "
"Post-Intelligence" November 2003 : "
it's hand-to-mouth at Marrakesh We might have been in a lush tent, parked in the North Africa desert. Rugs everywhere and fabrics draped overhead. Soft lighting and round, drum like inlaid tables-ankle high to a camel. Exotic music and costumed servers. A Morroccan meal at Belltown's Marrahesh, while in many way an exotic delight."
"WHERE" January 2004 :"
Hip and happening Belltown now has another adjective,hypnotic, thanks to Marrakesh restaurant all the romance you'd expect: floor cushins, finger bowls and servers in flowing robes. feast on dishes like B'stilla royale, pastry filed with spiced chicken and sweet, toasted almonds, and traditional lentil soup."