I stumbled on a big secret gem in Rabat the other night. I have been in Rabat a couple of years and have eaten at a lot of restaurants. Traditional Moroccan, Chinese, pseudo-Mexican, Italian, seafood- you name it, if it is in Rabat, I have probably tried it. Until now my three favorite restaurants in Rabat had been Matsuri’s sushi (but it is so expensive I have only eaten there once), TGI Fridays (reminds me of home), and the Syrian joint by the Label Vie in Centreville. My friend recommended that I try the restaurant at Riad Oudaya in the medina sometime when I had family in town. Its nicer than just a, “I have no food in the fridge, lets just go out place,” but it is worth the money (and I don’t like to spend money).

I have now been twice, with two different family members who have come into town to see Morocco. To get there you park behind the medina on the road that runs by the Oudaya. You proceed by foot into the medina entrance just in front of the marbuuta. The Riad Oudaya website has a map on how to get there. The first night we went it was foggy as we walked the medina street. This part of the Rabat medina is not like Fes or Marrakech with their winding lanes. It was a straightshot and cars were even driving on it. When we found the riad door, we rang the doorbell and waited expectantly. The door swung open and the hostess greeted us warmly. I had been telling my mom and sister about what riads were like and they had looked at our site many times, but it was seeing with their eyes that left them amazed.

The courtyard in Riad Oudaya is really great. It is done with a lot of tradiitonal Moroccan elements that were interwoven with skill. All the rooms were full so we really couldn’t look around that much. The riad is owned by a Frenchman, but both times I have been a Moroccan lady has been running it, and they don’t speak English. They sat us in one of the salons that had a fireplace and brought a heater in as well. First course were four Moroccan salads with accompanying bread. We had an eggplant salad, cauliflower salad, a tomato/bell pepper salad and one other kind which I have subsequently forgotten. They were done well, not too heavy with oil so you could still get the flavors. Course two was chicken pastilla. The round personal size pastry came out and it was elementally the Moroccan dish, but redone with French refinement. Course three was mshwey- barbecued lamb, with green beans and carmelized figs. Mshwey is not my favorite dish (lamb is a little gamey for my tastes) but this one was done really finely, with a lot of attention paid to the details of the presentation, The carmelized figs made the dish. Fourth course was desert number 1. That’s right, desert number 1. It was a fruit cobbleresque type dish. Course five was desert number 2. It was a baked orange concotion. I love fruit and these deserts were the highlights of the meal for me.

After stuffing ourselves like kings, we sat back and sipped on some mint tea before we made our exit. The meal costs about 300 dhs a person and they give you options on the meat courses you would like. When we came back for trip number two the entrees and desserts were different, but equally impressive. Sitting there in the salon at night with the open air courtyard laid out in front of you, moonlight falling in, it is really a great experience. It was ideal for us too, to be able to have a really unique cultural experience without actually staying in the riad.

Riad Oudaya – www.riadrabat.com 212 (0)537 70 23 92 Email : Riadoudaya AT wanadoo.fr

If you go, let us hear your thoughts about the riad.