One cuisine I’ve not had in New York is Moroccan, and as luck would have it, there was a deal going for a place up in Midtown. So Ryan and I headed there to fill our bellies.

Midtown is an area where I rarely eat out, so I was interested to see if there was a go-to among the hubbub of Midtown and nearby Times Square.

The inside of Tagine, which is on 38th Street, was just as I’d imagined – orange lamps, low seating, sequined cushions, soft music. We were led through the dark to a table and got to work ordering our feast.

We opted for Vegetable Borek from the hot mezze – phyllo-covered vegetables with a spicy dipping sauce for starters, a sweet potato tagine and vegetable cous cous for mains and a glass of wine for each of us.

The vegetable appetizer was a dream – crammed with sweet vegetables, a creamy cheese and perfectly matched with the hot sauce. The cous cous was also a winner – it was covered in caramelized onions and strewn with currants – and it was served with garlic-smothered bread and spicy tapenades. The tagine was a little disappointing – it tasted a bit oily and not all the sweet potatoes were cooked through – but it worked okay with the cous cous.

As if it wasn’t enough, our deal afforded us a dessert and we went for the Honey Letters – a stickier version of Baklava made with almonds. They were densely packed and delicious… I just wish there had been a bit more fruit to balance out all that sweetness.

Over all, this was pretty successful. Great variety, perfect for vegetarians and hefty portions. Something kept it from being really special though, and we weren’t too happy to discover we still had a bill of nearly $50 to pay despite our deal.

I think our timing could have been a little off as well; the restaurant was quiet and I reckon we’d have been much better going during one of their belly dancing or music nights.

The search for a Midtown favourite continues!

(P.s. Gel – I’m ready for your birthday now!)