Moroccan Tagine

Moroccan Tagine is the other Melbourne. It's as much a part of the city's dining DNA as its lauded laneways jammed with eateries putting a here-and-now spin on international cuisines, but on a low-key, local level. It's on the ground floor of a new apartment block - one of a few, quickly colonising what was until recently a quiet commercial strip - and its food is more straight-up than spin, but it's one of those easy, well-priced places that makes Melbourne so liveable - flush as it is with restaurateurs who have connections to other countries.

Heady spice blends, such as warm, woody baharat or herby zaatar, aren't new to these northern-Melbourne parts, but when they're used in an all-tagine main menu, it moves into specialised territory, and that ought to mobilise many within cooee of Preston.

Tagine is the name for the stews and the cone-lidded implement in which they're traditionally cooked in Moroccan homes. Here, stews simmer for about 14 hours in big pots (in commercial quantities), then, once cooked, are served in terracotta tagines. Of the eight tagines on offer, including chicken and goat, the odds are you'll try a lamb one; half are lamb-based, with savoury and sweet options. The Rabat, sweet with sultanas and caramelised onions, or the Atlas, a lump of soft, slow-braised shank (bone removed) surrounded by sweet whole dried apricots and prunes. The Marrakesh is more macho, with garlic, turmeric, fresh coriander, capsicum, eggplant and zucchini.

All tagines are named after the Moroccan city for which it is a specialty. The Tangier's chunks of zucchini, capsicum and eggplant subtly spiked with harissa make a fresh and mild dish. It comes with a lentil salad, rich and spicy vegetable soup (traditionally eaten to break the fast of Ramadan), and almost magically fluffy couscous studded with sultanas and almonds. It's like a mini banquet.

There's also colourful, vibrantly flavoured cold starters: hunks of carrot with a dab of labna humming with harissa; chermoula-flavoured soft-roasted pieces of eggplant to eat with flatbread; and roasted beetroot pieces tossed with walnuts and nuggets of goat's cheese lightly dressed with rosewater.

It's authentic Moroccan with Melbourne allowances. All the meat used is halal, in line with Islamic law, tagines are among the tableware, and the tabletops are ornate tiles, but you can buy and bring booze, use a fork to eat with instead of your hand, and, of course, there's a burger on the menu (lamb, with fries and harissa mayo). Moroccan-born chef-owner Mustapha Elarafi's family connections include one by phone to his mum in Morocco who is his talking recipe book. Aren't we the lucky city?

THE LOW-DOWN
Do… Consider a banquet; it's at least eight dishes of your choice.
Don't… Book a babysitter; take the tykes for an early sitting (6pm).
Dish… Rabat, sweet lamb tagine.
Vibe… Northern suburbs North African.

goodfoodunder30@theage.com.au