Moorish Feast

After not having actually visited the café in some time, this evening I took the chance to order some of their fare via Just Eat. (A practice that seems to be ever increasing — I really need to go shopping.) Their menu offers up a really tempting range of delicious, and might I add, healthy Moroccan cuisine. Everything from couscous, tagines, mezzes and more.
Having been poorly of late, with a dreaded winter cold, I wanted something fresh and vitamin orientated, which appears to be rather difficult when you’re ordering take away. Most of the offerings in Leeds aren’t the best in terms of healthful eats, but with Moorish there’s a plethora of good bites to choose from.
I wanted to pick so much from the list, and ended up being only marginally sensible (but still rather greedy) opting for the shawarma sandwich, olives a lamb bourek and a lemon sherbett drink. The bourek was just incredible, deliciously flaky filo pastry encasing a beautifully spiced lamb sausage, absolutely packed with feta cheese. The sandwich was equally fantastic, being stuffed with the most tender lamb pieces, potato and other delightful bits. The food came with a little houmous and chilli tub, a tub of potato, beetroot and olive salad, and a mini tub of salsa-​esque yum. The olives were also, of course, delicious.
This was, as predicted, vastly too much food for me in one go so I now have a happy portion saved up for tomorrow. But, another absolutely noteworthy element of the delivery was this lemon drink. I have no idea what was contained within this compostable cup of the gods, but it was utter nectar. It was refreshing, sweet and so moreish (excuse the pun) that I’ve been left wishing I’d ordered two.
All the above, paired with the fact that every piece of the packaging my food came in is recyclable, makes this place a stand out take away option. The delivery guy was amongst the friendliest I’ve encountered as well, which is always a pleasure. Basically, if you want take away but don’t want to have to sift between fatty burgers and calorific (often sub standard) curries you have to choose Moorish. Healthy, delicious, independent and basically awesome. I’m just going to have to get off my arse one day soon and actually go there in person.

I’ve not been to Moorish for a while, however I would happily recommend it to everyone, as it was always a fantastic place to eat and drink, very consistent. It is a bit pricey on a student budget however I wouldn’t say it costs any more than the nearby cafes on hyde park corner. It’s small and cosy, the location is great (looking onto the park) the food is delicious, chilli hot chocolate is to die for and the staff have always been really friendly. Yay Moorish!

I have happy memories of this place as a cheap place to hammer mint tea and mezze during long summer afternoons, but this review deals with my evening dining experience.
First of all, whether all the awards they list on their menu are genuine or not, they do deserve them (or at least some equivalent). Both the lamb tajine and filo parcels had incredible flavours that I can’t reproduce in my kitchen at home (my general benchmark for being impressed by anything) and if I was a millionaire ordering take-​out through an intermediary then this review would have been 5 stars.
However, most of the chairs would be more comfortable if I used them to hit myself in the face rather than sit on them, and £37 for one starter, two main portions that would fit in a single sandwich and a pot of tea for two is more than I want to pay when the staff appear to really dislike having to serve anyone.
I will go in again, but only during the day.

I have the sad duty to say that this little café is not what it once was.
I’m not saying that the food is bad (far from it), and the chilled out ambience is still great. But there is something missing in this little morrocan charm. Smoke.
As a non smoker that may seem like a bit of a weird criticism. But you kind of have to know what moors was pre-​smoking ban to understand my complaint.
The whole café was, at one point, geared around a single pastime. The smoking of sheesha pipes (for the uninitiated, that is basically a sticky mixture of tobacco, fruit and molasses smoked through a water pipe) This gave the café the most incredible smell, and as the smoke hung in the air making intricate and beautiful patterns you felt like you were in the kind of bohemian creative hide hole which only existed in films.
This atmosphere led to many a ridiculous plan or bizarre inspiration as we stayed in late into the night smoking and talking. The vibe of the place made it perfect for dates in that «check me out I’m the guy who knows all the cool little places» kind of way.
It hasn’t lost all of it’s charm but it doesn’t feel like the kind of place you can ‘just be’ anymore.
It is probably still good I just miss what it was.
Whilst this was more of a nostalgia trip than a review and was neither useful, funny or cool. I kind of enjoyed it so I don’t care what you think.

I’ve only been here once and it made quiet an impact. I didn’t even know this place existed before a friend had a birthday dinner here. From the outside it resembles that of a shack and really does not look enticing.
Inside promises such a lovely atmosphere, it stays true to its ethnic roots and is like no other place in the Hyde Park area. It’s really one of those places that you will either stumble across or be recommended, as it doesn’t stand clear at all.
Now, I am very picky when it comes to food and you would think an all-​Moroccan restaurant would be my worst nightmare, it was. However I found their Filo Pastries with Moroccan filling very suitable to my palette, which was great. However something the size of a Greggs pasty for £6 wasn’t my ideal of a student meal. So slightly expensive but it’s worth the visit as its a different dining experience and the staff are very friendly. Only thing was there was a group of about 7 of us and seating was a nightmare, the restaurant is very poky and 2 of you sitting on a round stool leaning over low round tables was not so fun.

Facing the park along Hyde Park Road, I always love going to Moorish. A very small Moroccan restaurant/​café, it does not really scream to be entered from the outside. A few of my old university housemates still do not really know it exists, despite having lived on the next road!
Inside is a cosy haven of authentic North African furniture. What is so great about Moorish is that it really is a pretty authentic North African experience, one of the closest I’ve found outside Morocco, right down to the music and tea.
Whether you are hungover and fancy a North African inspired brunch, or you want somewhere cosy and relaxed to go on a bitterly cold evening, or just need a healthy lift, their food is fantastic. Having recently expanded their menu, they offer up a brilliant selection of mezze and fantastic different boureks (stuffed filo pastry) from lamb to chicken, spicy fish to falafel, there is something to suit everyone.
The service can be slow, but incredibly friendly everytime. It is a very relaxed place, so you kind of expect that it is not going to be a rushed meal!
Though it may not be the cheapest of places, once you’ve demanded to try every single of their homemade juices and different tea infusions, it is well worth a trip. Just remember it is small, and cannot house all your mates.
P. S. The toilet in there is possibly my favourite room in Hyde Park. With walls tiled with mosaics, and candles burning at night, making them shimmer, it might sound odd, but it really is very beautiful. I never thought I’d say that about a toilet. Be sure to go in when you’re there, just so writing this doesn’t make me seem like a nut-​job.

Walking along Hyde Park Road, you can smell Moorish before you see it and my stomach always rumbles a bit when I catch the whiff of exotic spices and earthy incense. If you follow your nose and head inside you won’t be disappointed; the low furniture, soft lighting and Arabian music create exactly the sort of space you expect such smells to emanate from. The menu is North African, offering up your usual selection of mezzes along with delicious boureks (stuffed filo pastry) and Moroccan wraps and sandwiches, and reasonably priced at around £6 a main. There’s no alcohol here, so instead accompany your meal with a milkshake or fruit cocktail — a tasty alternative, and one that your liver will thank you for.

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, remember? Moorish doesn’t look too tasty from the outside, the exterior is a bit dishevelled and certainly doesn’t make you stop and think «crikey, let’s go in and eat here».
But — make sure you do.
There’s a fantastic atmosphere. Probably due to the relaxed bohemian nature of the place. The furnishings are all low, encouraging you to get comfortable. Just angle your tummy perfectly so you can fit a lot in — the meze’s come fully loaded.
It’s great for a night out with a girlfriend or boyfriend, or with friends, or with family. There really is, for want of a better cliché, something for everyone.
The grub is North African, traditional Moroccan substance. As well as the meze, try the boureks.