Our final night in Casablanca, no Food will equal the Spread that Hassan and Amel put on for us last night. There had to be a Curry-Heute report from Casablanca. The existence of a Restaurant called – Punjab – was known. Marg and Hector took the Tram out to Ain Diab, the beach area Hassan had driven us to last night. The Punjab Restaurant was found at the anticipated locus. As with many premises during Ramadan, closed for renovation.
That’s what the workers insisted, yet on the rooftop terrace all looked normal. Shalimar, in the Alsace part of the City, was another closed venue found two days ago.
This has been pretty much the saga of our visit to Casablanca, the places I wished to spend the evenings are closed. We have spent virtually no Cash, a Home-cooked Curry only cost 50p to prepare.
Marg suggested we walk back from Ain Diab. Six kilometres? We have been hitting around 25km each day.
India Palace technically was technically on our route home. Heading inland before we reached the Grand Mosque towards Boulevard Nafa, we found the India Palace (23-25 Rue Ahmed Mokri, Quartier Racine, Casablanca, Maroc) with relative ease. It was closed.
On the wall was a paper sign – Ramadan Hours – they would open at 20.30. Being around 18.00 we completed the final thirty minutes of our walk home, freshened up and started back. They were open.
Un table pour deux, non-fumeurs svp. We were taken by Mon Host to the rear of the substantial premises past other Diners. A Drinks Menu and a Food Menu were supplied. Bier! It has been three days! The Flag Special was listed, one Local Bier I have no
t tried, it was not available.
Leffe Blond would do… Aaah. The Best Bier found in Morocco, by far, and at a reasonable 50 Dirhams for a 33cl Bottle. (£5.00 a pint).
Sources have suggested that the Portions at the India Palace are Small. We better have Starters or a Side. No Sides as such were listed, Gosht Shami Kebab was. Marg opted for a Tossed Veg Salad, she does this and is usually disappointed. The list of Starters covered all diets and tastes – Vegetable, Chicken, Fish and Lamb.
For The Main Course – Gosht Rogan Josh – looked closest to a Hector Curry. Marg considered the Fish. Fish Palak. Marg chose a Garlic Naan to balance Hector’s Plain Paratha. As a – just in case – Green Peas Pulaw was the final selection.
Poppadoms and The Dips were provided, the Poppadoms had the much welcomed embedded Cumin Seeds. This gives such an edge. I decided not to tackle the Lime Pickle less the Palate become distorted.
Somebody lit up. One Diner of the ten or so present. He was sat nearer the door so it wasn’t in one’s face, still, the unpleasantness spread.
The Starters were not instantaneous. We could see Chef at work through the glass, he was not be over-stretched on this shift.
Four Shami Kebabs filled the plate, so much for another Source which mentioned Small Portions. Marg’s Salad was Substantial and well presented. Why this was – Tossed – who knows. It was the polite thing to offer Marg one of the four, before I knew it she had snaffled another half. Some Salad came my way in exchange, nice.
The Shami Kebabs were a bit on the Dry side, Biscuit-like. The Salad and and remaining Dip helped keep the palate moist. Spicy, Tasty and a Wee Kick. Not too bad but definitely too firm.
The same chap lit up again, was he between courses, was this how it was going to be? Tolerance, sorry, Intolerance was now to the fore. It basically means that future trips may be dependent on how civilised the Restaurant Regime may be.
A Young Waiter carried the Curry, Mon Host divvied it out listing each Dish as he did so. Ecce -Soup!
Look at this, wtf? Surely the World of Curry has moved on from this? Here we had another classic example of a Thin Sauce poured over Meat. How do you do? We have just met in the kitchen three minutes previously. Marg fared no better. The European Palak Gosht is not on my list of Recommended Dishes to try. One gets Meat smothered in Spinach with Creme-Fraiche, in this instance, stirred through. This is so far from the Dark, Bitter, Sinister Spinach Curry as served in the Best Glasgow Curry Cafes.
The Rogan Josh had Seven decent sized pieces of Lamb, so again no complaints about the Quantity of the meat. The Lamb was Very Tender, the required chewing only highlighted the total lack of Spice absorbed into the meat. The Spice came only from the Sauce, it would be an insult to Proper Curry to use the term – Masala– here. How many Onions had been used to create this Under-seasoned Soup?
The Paratha, well it wasn’t. A Crispy piece of Bread served halved. How could this be given the Paratha moniker?. This was insulting, especially in comparison to the Wonderful Fresh and Flaky Paratha served by Amel last evening. That was Paratha! Marg’s Garlic Naan came in four pieces. Why do Chefs cut up the Bread? Stop this please.
The Peas Rice soaked up the Excessive Moisture, this was Curry from a time long-long ago. It should have stayed there.
The Fish Palak did not hold any interest for this commentator. Marg tried to guess the Fish, Monkfish would be an obvious shout, but here we are in Casablanca, what lies offshore? The Fish Palak was again Under-seasoned. How can a Fish Curry be so? Freshwater Fish? Marg said she was relying on the Garlic from the Naan to give any real Flavour to her Dish. A Bit of the Palak came Hector’s way in time.
Not for me. This was simply too Bland.
Only when we had finished did Mon Host come over to acknowledge that we had eaten. The customary Mid-meal Question had not been asked.
The Leffe Blond was the best part of the meal. How often does Hector have Bier with Curry?
The Bill
The Young Waiter appeared not to know what to do when he was asked, he went outside.
495 Dirhams (£33.00). The Credit Card caused problems for the machine, it disappeared too for a while. I thought this was the whole point of bringing the machine to the table.
The Aftermath
Cards were exchanged without a word. Mon Host was conversing at the Bar. No acknowledgement as we walked towards the door. We made our exit, did it matter to them that we had ever been?
There are other Curry Houses in Casablanca, Hector would suggest you try them (first).