There's nothing like good baba ganouj. It has but four basic ingredients -- eggplant, tahini, lemon juice and garlic -- but that combination delivers a mystical melange of exotic flavors as you tear off a piece of pita bread and scoop up some baba. I'm an eggplant nut, so if I overplay my enthusiasm for such a simple dish, please forgive me.
Nevertheless, baba ganouj is a good way start things off at La Brochette, a casual Moroccan-Mediterranean restaurant on North Ashland Avenue. But if eggplant is not your thing, there are loads of other dishes to consider. And it is that almost maniacal approach to stuffing the menu that can sometimes get La Brochette in trouble, as in not all dishes are available all of the time.
Still, those that are available are as pleasing as you will find in this genre of cuisine, where there is no end to the stew of flavors that simmer in just about every dish. Even when no simmering is involved -- salads, for example -- there's a lot of exotica going on. "Moroccan Salad Variee," for example, put together a flavorful melange of tomato, cucumber, carrots and potatoes. The menu says this salad is "made in a Moroccan way" and "finished with boiled eggs and onions." The "Moroccan way" has to do with the spicing, and I enjoyed the salad immensely.
The real thrust of the menu can be found under the heading of "Tagines." Tagine is a type of pot, and it is also the dish that is cooked in that pot. I tried La Brochette's chicken tagine. The cone-shaped dish arrived and was set on the table. The top was removed and an enticing aroma wafted out. Chunks of meaty chicken were enhanced with a potpourri of spices, lemons and olives. A delicious saffron sauce flowed over and around the meat. "Moroccan fries" were scattered over the chicken, and they really detracted from the dish (gummy) rather than adding to it. I would rather have seen a couple of vegetables instead.
Other tagines offered included lamb in several guises and gussied up this way (prunes, almonds) or that way (artichokes, green peas) and with various sauces.
Under the heading "Moroccan Grill," you will find namesake dishes like chicken brochette, steak brochette and one called "Royal Brochette," which turned out to be quite regal in appearance and delicious, as well. This brochette included grilled chunks and hunks of filet, chicken and kefta (shaped ground beef with various spices and grilled, a Moroccan meatball of sorts). Excellent dish. Brochette accompaniments include rice and an assortment of grilled vegetables (usually onions, peppers, tomatoes).
A quick lunch one day got me a taste of a couple of sandwiches. The falafel sandwich was good, not great. The shawarma (grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, garlic sauce) was much better. A good choice at lunch is the extensive lunch buffet, which offers a reasonable cross-section of the menu (selections vary daily).
Desserts are not an issue. However, should you not feel complete without dessert, have the honey-drenched baklava.
Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author.
