Afous

Moroccan restaurant Afous doesn't just pay lip service to its motto ''the perfume of life''. Owner Omar Majdi and his team welcome diners with drops of fragrant rose water poured into both hands, palms upturned. It is a nice way to set the scene, as the distinctive flavour pops up through the menu, sometimes in unexpected places.

Majdi has had a sea change. After running Souk in the City in Surry Hills, his latest venture is on the water at The Spit in Mosman. Afous's large windows are open to let in a balmy breeze and look out at the neighbouring marina. Moroccan touches in a standard bistro layout include a coloured glass lantern over the stairwell and ornate silver teapots Majdi uses to pour mint tea in a theatrical display.

On a busy Friday night just before Christmas, the restaurant is packed, mainly with family groups and friends. After a delay in taking our drink orders, the service is prompt and attentive, albeit somewhat harried.

The menu is a mix of Moroccan dishes and Spanish tapas, covering a lot of bases. We order a mix of tapas and entrees, starting with a serve of warm bread topped with a tangy za'atar spice blend and drizzled with oil.

A bright, flavoursome haloumi salad scores for its generous portions: three thick pieces of good, salty cheese are perched on a rocket-and-oven-roasted tomato salad with a jammy mixed berry sauce. Crab and corn felafels come on a dollop of spicy harissa mayo and ground coriander seed; the dish, although enjoyable, doesn't taste strongly of crab or corn.

The rose water gazpacho disappoints. It isn't the tomato-heavy flavour punch I'm expecting, but a smooth, underwhelming concoction that does not reflect the ''rose water gazpacho, pickled cucumber, garlic scent'' menu description. No cucumber and no noticeable trace of garlic.

The slow-cooked beef cheeks are a highlight of our main courses, beautifully cooked and so tender the meat flakes apart with a fork.

Two crispy-skinned snapper fillets are nicely cooked and well seasoned. They come swimming in a pool of orange-coloured sauce with a few steamed vegetables underneath (not the aromatic salad as per the menu). The red bean and orange sauce tastes of neither. It's like a sauce for the sake of having a sauce - and a lot of it.

Things pick up for dessert. The delicious rose water milk custard is deep fried in two bars and served with ice-cream. It is light and not overly sweet. A dark chocolate souffle has a surprise in the middle - the gooey, runny centre of a fondant pudding.

Having seen Majdi serve tea at other tables, we want a piece of the action, too. The Moroccan brew is a blend of green tea and fresh mint leaves, made in one of those ornate silver teapots. Majdi pours it from a great height into patterned glass vessels with barely a splatter. Practice clearly makes perfect - he tells us he's been mastering the act since the age of six.

Majdi welcomes us with rose water and farewells us with a warm shake of the hand. The food is a bit hit and miss at Afous, but the hospitality, and skilful showmanship, is a drawcard in itself.

Menu

Moroccan and Spanish tapas with a side of service showmanship.

Recommended dishes

North African za'ater bread, grilled haloumi salad, slow-cooked beef cheeks, deep-fried rose water milk, tea du Maroc.

Rating

3.5 stars (out of five)