MARRAKECH

DINNER AT DAR YACOUT - My husband - after twenty years - still remembers the breathtaking atmosphere of this restaurant as one of the most beautiful and magic places he has seen.

This palatial restaurant is set in a house redesigned as - A Thousand and One Nights - by Bill Willis - haut decorateur - of Marrakech. Though we were exhausted and already full from lunch at Le Fondouk we didn't want to skip dinner as it took us a week to get the reservation. I also wanted to keep the promise I made to Manfredi to go and, at the very least have a look. After being served aperitifs on the rooftop terrace with its magnificent view over the city. We were served dinner in an intimate private room with a fireplace - one of the many different settings for dinner. Like most Moroccan restaurants, there is no - a la carte - this is a 'classic' 6 course 'Moroccan dinner'. Drinks are also included and happy - live - Gnaouans play music in the background. And, as the Marrakech segment of the Contessanally Blog is mostly gastronomic -this is what you can expect for dinner: STARTERS: Variety of Moroccan Salads - TWO MAIN COURSES: selected from the following: Pastilla with pigeon or chicken - Chicken with lemon - oven baked fish - Shoulder of lamb steamed and browned in the oven - Lamb Tagine with seasonal vegetables - Tagine Mekfoul (with tomatoes and onions) - Couscous with vegetables - ONE DESSERT: Pastilla with milk - Orange Salad - Honey Pancakes. This is far more than any human being can possibly eat - I must confess we just nibbled and tasted the food. Though the food isn't what it used to be, this restaurant is certainly worth a visit, even if it's just for a pre dinner drink.

Dar Yacout - 79 Sidi Ahmed Soussi - tel 44 38 29 29 - www.yacout-marrakech.com