Strangely enough, Mecca Bah is under our noses and we can't find it. We have to give the place a call to find out that it sits right along the river. Funny but true. The place is almost packed when we arrived. As we enter the rustic Mediterranean place, I can smell the Turkish pizzas roaring and cracking in their stone oven, waiting to be served and devoured by its patrons. We are hungry when we sat down, so we opted to get some mezzes for starters.
Mezze #1: Moroccan spiced calamari. BD says that it's almost has a hint of curry in it but for me, the calamari tasted nothing like curried squid. The flavor of the coating wasn't intense but has that hint of turmeric, coriander, cumin combo. I didn't care much for the puree and the rocket leaves.
Mezze #2: Salmon and shrimp kibbeh. This dish is an unexpected surprise. I actually liked it but I would prefer the kibbeh to be crisper and less tough. I loved the chickpea puree underneath it.
Main: Lamb tagine with preserved lemons and olives. At first glance, I am quite disappointed with the way the dish looked. In a way, I underestimated the taste from its physical appearance. The way it looked is pieces of lamb meat on a tomato-based sauce. I can't even see the cous cous! My spoon dipped onto the cous cous with a piece of ultra-soft piece of lamb shoulder. Amazingly, every bite I took offered a different sensation in my mouth. One mouthful offered a burst of tomato, lemon-y and sweet sauce, then that velvety lamb shoulder begging to be pulled way and the grainy, soft texture of the cous cous was just spot on. It's rich and home-y, almost made me feel like I'm at home, devouring a soup plate of lamb tagine.
Dessert: Fig Ice cream with Chocolate Nut Tart. Not the best, but passable. Loved the fig ice cream, though.
One negative thing during dinner was that we waited almost 30minutes for the mains to arrive, leaving us famished once they were set on our table. Servers were also a bit in a rush and difficult to catch their attention. Apart from that, generally, I like the ambiance and setup of the place, with the high ceilings and sun-filled dining area. I think that the place was a bit boring and needs more of the Mediterranean overall feel. Food-wise, it wasn't fantastic.
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