Date: 22 Mar-30 Mar 2019
Venue: ITC Maurya, Delhi

Not so long ago, we wrote about the Cyprus and the Sri Lankan food festivals at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. This time, they are to host the Moroccan Food Festival at their Mediterranean restaurant Ottimo at West View.

There was a curtain-raiser to this event recently and we attended the do. The Ambassador of The Kingdom of Morocco H. E. Mohamed Maliki was present himself along with other attaché from the embassy and greeted the media. In fact, they had flown in a Berber banjo player from Morocco. He sang soulful numbers while playing the banjo all throughout the afternoon. This set the mood for the grand meal that was in offing.

The multi-course meal had a host of dishes that looked familiar yet not quite.  The menu was a fine balance between meats and vegetables. Olives, fresh prunes, cous cous and red wine were the other ingredients that we could identify. The cuisine had Mediterranean and Andalusian influences. It was definitely more sinful than continental food yet not as heavy as South East Asian cuisines. The Harira Soup, Chicken Tagine and Lamb with olives and prune are must tries.

They also served Moroccan tea on the side. The aromatic tea was kept in beautiful traditional kettles and sweetened with honey. We happily guzzled down a couple of glasses and this helped us in settling the delicious meal.

The festival is on from 22nd – 30th March, 2019, dinner only. If you are one for safe experiments with food or are looking for a romantic dinner, the Moroccan Food Festival at the beautiful Ottimo is a must-do. The lovely view of the Delhi Ridge one gets from here is bonus.