Restaurants

We like Maghreb for its attempts to break away from the North African norm. This starts with the decor, which eschews the stereotypical souk aesthetic for a simple but striking pairing of mustard-yellow walls against burgundy and blue upholstery. Although the bulk of the menu is made up of Moroccan staples, the ingredients are far from standard. For instance: a tabouleh salad, traditionally made with parsley, onions and tomatoes, is prepared here with crab and prawns; and pastilla has a goats cheese filling rather than chicken or pigeon. This must also be the only London restaurant to offer tajines of duck, rabbit, and lentil and pumpkin. Not everything comes off: a chakchouka (usually a spicy tomato and pepper stew to which eggs are added), made with prawns instead of the customary red peppers, resembled reheated leftovers; and pears turned out not to be a good accompaniment to rabbit but we do applaud the ambition. Desserts include yeasty pancakes with an irresistible honey and butter sauce. Service is extremely friendly. We get the impression that Maghreb is very much a labour of love for its owners.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008