This is the second Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Turkish, etc. restaurant that Suzanne has mentioned to me. The first, Urban Turban, was great and I have visited several times and the food is consistently good.
My first visit was for lunch on Saturday. I had the Kefta Kabob (beef & lamb), rice, tabbouleh salad, bread and iced mint tea. (Menu) The older gentleman, I guess the owner, came out to my table to explain what was on the menu.
I loved the “shtick” and wished that the Turkish Grille in Fayetteville would mimmick the Desert Chic (Sheik). The atmosphere was everything that pleased. And now my review goes south. I just didn’t like the flavor of the kefta kabob, nor the tabbouleh, and the rice (supposed to be a neutral flavor), added to the disappointment. The iced mint tea was delicious and refreshing. The bread, fresh out of the oven, warm and soft was good also.
Now, I don’t have broad experience in this type of food, but having tried several items at the Sherefe Mediterranean Grill, over several years, in Fayetteville, and the Urban Turban in Cary, and lunch at the Turkish Grille, I have come to think of myself as “liking” this type of food. *I really, really like the tabbouleh salad at the Urban Turban. I like the rice at the Turkish Grille, and they make a good Greek salad. And, I like the Doner Kabob and salad at Sherefe.
Perhaps it was not having condiments or sauces to add to the flavor. A squeeze of lemon for the tabbouleh salad “just didn’t make it.” *The analogy would be the difference between a good, home-made spaghetti sauce and what you get out of a Chef Boyardee can. The flavor just wasn’t there for me.
NOTE [03/20/23]: Apparently, I did not mention anywhere above that Marrakesh (Facebook, Wixsite, Menu)is located in Jacksonville, NC. The Urban Turban has been closed for several years now.
A few weeks ago, on Sunday, the day after we celebrated the life of James Frederick Sharpe, Jr. “Jim” a group of us, including Mary Ann, Jamie, Danny, Si, Si’s girlfriend, Ray and Jacquelyn (who was celebrating her 50 birthday) went to Marrakesh for lunch. Mary Ann had kept the location a secret, and I didn’t realize they were going to be celebrating Jacquelyn’s birthday also. I wasn’t looking forward to going to Marrakesh again because, as I had said above the food was bland.
But, to my surprise, what I had for my entrée turned out to be very flavorful. I did not enjoy the appetizer, spinach in a philo dough pastry, which was pretty flavorless… but I had ordered the Gyro Platter, with rice and a Greek Salad. The shaved lamb was delicious. The rice had good flavor and the salad was also good.
Bill Gibson, II 