Our second and final night here in Casablanca found us at the very chic restaurant and club LE CABESTAN located right next to the famous lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived and the place was fairly empty at 7pm, but they insisted we be seated at a table for two right on top of another, albeit empty table. We asked if we could move, but they were adamant. As it happened, that table never had anyone and the one the other side only had one person for barely 20 minutes at one point. Our initial feel that the staff were condescending were washed away as the evening wore on.
We knew this place was for seafood, although the menu seemed to also push steaks. We decided to order a dozen oysters from DAKHLA, a peninsula on Morocco's southwestern most coast, hundreds and hundreds of miles away. A bottle of Eclipse rose from Meknes 2020 made from Syrah, Grenache and Mourverdre was ideal, dry and divine. The oysters were large, plump and briny and we loved them.
We asked for our menus back and ordered the appetizers, as we figured if we ordered course by course, they would or could not rush us.
The sun set and it was a magnificent moment of amazing colors looking out the windows(fotos on FB). There was also a huge crowded outdoor terrace and the whole wall on that side of the restaurant was open. There was one table with eight or so men smoking huge cigars, so we were glad we were far away.
Will chose the Caramelized Octopus with Hummus and Tapenade which was very nice, but my Truffled Tuna Tartare on avocado with capers, cherry tomatoes and balsamic was a dream. It came with an adorable rocket (arugula) salad sitting atop the tuna in a cylindrical crouton holder. The bread(three rolls) was dry and would win no prizes; one roll I tried tasting like it was several days old!
We switched to a yummy Domaine Jirry 2021 Chardonnay which reminded me of Oregon chards that are very crisp and fruit forward. We just love Moroccan wines and the prices are so reasonable at $25-45 for many of them at restaurants.
We both ordered fish and the mains were excellent with my Crispy Royal Sea Bream(dorado or daurade) with the most fabulous slightly spicy zucchini spaghetti, red peppers, squid and a rustic style sauce vierge on the side. Will chose the Grilled line-caught Sea Bass Niçoise which was another gorgeous piece of fish in a slightly richer sauce.
we decided to order the Fig Tarte tatin and were devasted when they said they were all gone and settled for a superb Apple Tart with Madagascar Vanilla Ice cream that was indeed superb.
We left very happy and very full and thrilled that the food was so delicious after the slightly off-setting start to the evening.
