We were unsure what to expect from La Cour des Lions, the luxurious restaurant situated on the top floor of the Es Saadi Palace. It was our final night of our mini Moroccan break and we were excited about the prospect of enjoying Es Saadi’s fine dining experience.
Es Saadi Palace has several restaurants on offer to guests and visitors. La Cour des Lions is worth visiting even if you’re not staying in the hotel. The sophisticated eatery offers French inspired Moroccan cuisine, creative dishes conjured up by genius head chef, Sebastien Bontour. We dressed up specially for the occasion and wandered up at 9pm. The dining room is enthralling with intricate sculpted plaster and atmospheric lanterns; the stylish design is grand yet the arches give a cosy feel. From the window you see breathtaking views of the gardens and Atlas Mountains beyond. It is opulent but avoids being ostentatious. In one corner a musician sits on a leather cushion strumming gently, looking pensive and providing a unique soundtrack for the evening.
The atmosphere is quiet but enthused, with guests chatting in hushed voices and laughing over glasses of wine. Fresh bread arrived with our choice of white Medallion wine, served blissfully cold. The bread was soft and doughy but it was the butter I found particularly exciting, speckled throughout with salty dried herbs it was an exquisite taste.
The menu is split into two sections: traditional Moroccan on the left and the wildly creative French-Moroccan dishes on the right. You can mix and match choices, without being limited to one list. We had tried various renditions of typical Moroccan cuisine throughout the holiday so tonight we were very intrigued by the alluring French inspired creations.
The dishes are described simply on the menu – we had no idea what would arrive in front of us. Plates of fancy arrangements, intricate and adventurous in taste and presentation. It was a sight to behold and we spent several minutes investigating each part of the food before tucking into the artistry! Addicted to Moroccan pastries, I chose the assortment of Pastillas to start, served on a bed of crunchy salad. There were three varieties: minced lamb, chicken and tomato, I preferred the lamb which was wonderfully fragrant and spiced in light, crispy layers of pastry. My friend enjoyed her Giant marinated and breadcrumbed prawn, however the accompanying dishes were a little odd with flavours including grapefruit, almond and strawberry.
The mains were even more elaborate and each plate contained a plethora of components. There is no doubt that the presentation here is beautiful though whether these intricacies were for show or taste I was not always sure. For main I opted for the rich ensemble of beef, cooked three ways. Fresh steak tartare presented in a glass, a mini beef fillet cooked in butter and tagine-style beef breadcrumbed and gently fried. Each variant was carefully prepared and presented with delicious additions like a huge potato chip and sweet warm gravy! The fillet was my favourite – a high quality cut of meat that was tender and flavoured with herby, peppery marinade. My friend tried the Monkfish… there were some slightly bizarre pairings here, a small strawberry smoothie shot was yet again presented alongside the fish, very strange and not altogether enjoyable! It was a fine piece of fish though, meaty and fresh however the serving was again far too big.
The desserts were a whirlwind of excitement. Different dishes are available according to theme: chocolate, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, red fruits. Each flavour group comes as a set of three mini puddings, all created around the theme. It was an absolute feast, and though we savoured every saccharine mouthful, it was enough to feed several! My vanilla themed trio was innovative and thrilling, each mouthful tasted different, constructed with endless detailing. I loved my vanilla macaroon, light and airy with a strong essence of vanilla bean. My friend chose the devilish chocolate group, strongly recommended by our eager waiter. The glass of chocolate and passion fruit was a particular highlight, a lovely combination of sweet and tangy flavours.
At La Cour des Lions tradition meets luxury. Much like the hotel, there is a real emphasis on artistic creation and design. Bontour has developed a menu which is both aesthetically extravagant and gastronomically exciting.
Visit the La Cour des Lions website here for more information.