Lovers of ethnic food have precious few options for Moroccan in the Metro, but luckily for curious palates and tzatziki addicts, Couscous Café, 6165 N. May Ave., is a sure bet for your daily fix.
Situated in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it strip of businesses on a busy thoroughfare, this hidden gem has been building a following for several years, and the wall of awards and accolades means more people are rightly paying attention.
The menu at Cous Cous Café has a flavorful catalog of cuisine spanning the Mediterranean and the Middle East, with the sweet and savory delights of Morocco as its crux. It’s easy to overlook the daily specials menu positioned just inside the front door, but be sure to consider it before you set your heart on a shawarma sandwich (although those are totally worth it).
The daily specials are mostly forms of tagine, a traditional North African stew-style dish named after the earthenware pot it’s cooked and served in. This hearty Berber comfort food comes in all colors of the meat rainbow: lamb, kofta (meatball), chicken, and fish. There are also meatless options.
One of the great things about Mediterranean food is its open arms for the meat-averse, and Cous Cous Café doesn’t skimp on the vegetarian and vegan options. Creamy hummus, spicy falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and zaalook (delicious grilled and mashed eggplant served cold with flatbread) are a few of the knock-your-socks-off sides, and they all get the veggie stamp of approval. Mix and match pretty much any three for a $6 vegetarian combo.
Cucumber-heavy Moroccan salad is also on the list, and while the tzatziki sauce is only enough to make me pick at it, I refuse to hold against any dish my decades-long personal vendetta against Earth’s second most boring vegetable. So, no points docked.
Green mint Moroccan tea is mandatory, and I recommend drinking it hot even if it’s a billion degrees outside. Go ahead and get a large kettle for the table, but then “lose” all of your friends’ glasses so you can hoard it all for yourself.
Kabob platters are where it’s at. Smoky, charcoaled meats or vegetables arranged across a pile of yellow rice are perfect in their simplicity. Gyro and chicken shawarma platters are also available, but I recommend opting for the sandwich versions of those two staples instead. They’re not really sandwiches — they’re wraps, and you can re-enact your favorite Marvel post-credits scene if you and your friends raid a costume shop first.
Don’t ignore the dessert items arranged in glass jars on the check-out countertop. I know you’ve been through a lot already — your taste buds have traveled far — but this will round out the experience. Of course baklava is delicious, but if you’re feeling crazy try chebakia. This traditional Ramadan treat is a rose-shaped mass of fried dough dipped in oil and honey, and then sprinkled with sesame seeds. The initial flavor is not unlike something you’d find at any donut shop, but the aftertaste … yup, that’s fried chicken.
If you’re wading into Mediterranean food for the first or fifth time, make sure you order something you’re not familiar with, even if it’s just your side. Hummus at Cous Cous Café is great, but you’ve likely had that somewhere before. Be brave and spring for something that’s new to you and you’ll probably never forget it.
