LOCATION
Located in the Italian Forum, Leichhardt on the first level overlooking the Piazza.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
It may be tucked away in Leichhardt’s Italian Forum, but Restaurant Sahara is Moroccan from top to toe. Decked out in warm tones of ochre and wood, the spacious restaurant could almost double as a museum full of intricate Moroccan tea-sets, authentic stained-glass lamps, burnished copper platters and a stunning inlaid marble table that has pride of place in the dining room. As striking as the decor of Restaurant Sahara is, it’s the open plan kitchen towards the back of the restaurant where the true magic takes place.
Moroccan food has been heavily influenced throughout history by Arabic, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and Jewish cuisine. Restaurant Sahara fuses the diverse flavours of Morocco into a contemporary menu that is as delicious as it is unique. Begin with the bastilla, a traditional dish of filo pastry filled with almonds, chicken and cinnamon and dressed in an orange saffron sauce. Grilled squid marinated in a blend of spices and served with Moroccan salsa is another dish that will please the palate. A tajine of lamb shanks gently cooked with prunes, honey and cinnamon makes for a divine main course to share, as does the fez chicken tajine, marinated in a selection of spices and served with green olives, saffron and preserved lemon. Finish with some minted green tea for a majestic Moroccan experience.
Amy Looker, April 2008
DETAILS
Morocco, a country well known for its culture friendly, society and there delicious exotic foods and spices.
Moroccan food is characterized by the rich spices, which include cinnamon, paprika, cumin.Couscous, granular semolina is central to Moroccan cuisine and is often cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins and is a meal in itself or is topped with rich stews and roasted meats, lamb being the most popular meat. Many Moroccan dishes are filled with fruits and spices – a lamb shank is slow cooked in honey, cinnamon and saffron; the chicken tajine is flavoured with olive and preserved lemon. Finish with a traditional mint tea.
Enjoy your dinner in the main dining room or outside on the terrace overlooking the Italian Forum piazza.
FUNCTIONS
Sahara is an excellent choice for a private function, and on Friday and Saturday nights Sahara offers live music, ranging from a belly-dancer to a Middle Eastern dance teacher who will get you up off your feet showing your dancing skills.
