Moroccan Style @ Mamounia Lounge Mayfair

Back in November, I received an invite to sample the newly refurbished Mounima Lounge in Mayfair, but Christmas time in the travel industry includes having to go to many Airline and Hotel parties, oh how I tire of them… Yeah right….

But last week we finally made it, and what a fun place it is. Very different from its Knightsbridge sister, it has the perfect mixture of intimate romantic chic and fun time party crowd night, located directly opposite the Saudi Embassy, which I’m sure its employees pop in for a bite to eat and to smoke a shisha outside once in a while.

The restaurant has been split into 2 levels, upstairs is the quieter of the two, mainly for couples and smaller groups who want to be able to hear each other, or an I going deaf.

Downstairs is where the action happens, we had a drink afterwards and watched the action up close and personal. Great people watching …

Both menus at the two locations are more or less the same with some great North African Tagines, as well as dishes slanting towards the Middle East, yes I’m talking about the mixed grills there. But still very good.

We opted for the Sausage Tasting Platter, a mixture of Mahanek, Merguze and Sojuk Sadah’s, a fine mix of lamb sausages from North Africa and the Middle East. I’m partial to a little Merguze and these were pretty danm good, maybe needed a little more harissa for my burnt out taste buds. The homemade Makanek were filled with tasty little pine nuts. Definite winner.

For mains we shared a Meshoui, 8 hour roasted lamb shoulder and the Farruj Meshwi, grilled baby chicken.

The lamb was melt in your mouth goodness, literally melted as it hit my tongue and coupled with the dates and apricots which added a unique sweetness. You also get a bowl of Bouillon, heavenly and for dunking the lamb in and your moistening the cous cous.

The grilled chicken’s skin was crispy and had the taste of the coals, a rarity I’m finding these days, even when I see it cooked over live coals. The meat was moist and absolutely delicious. My compliments to the chef.

The service at both restaurants was amazing, hats off to their training; I wish they would train other restaurants staff, which shall remain nameless, but you know who toy are.

But downstairs as I mentioned is where it happens, with an Iraqi singer belting out some amazing Arabic songs, which were getting half the room dancing, a real party atmosphere.

An amazing night, courtesy of a more than generous host, who keeps an amazing restaurant busy.

I’m looking forward to seeing the Arabic karaoke, although I will not be participating, just watching and listening.