Le Maroc

Earlier this week, while we were in the kitchen making the rice and vegetables that accompanies Beef Stroganoff, the chef walked around and looked at everyone's vegetable cuts.

We were cutting carrot, zucchini, and green beans into a petit brunoise or very small EVEN/UNIFORM squares. They should be about a quarter/half a centimeter squared. So, pretty small. But more important than size is that they are uniform.

Which is very hard to do. Often, I set up my pre-cuts, so that I am set to get those perfect squares. But when I look at them all together, they are not quite even. As the chef likes to point out to me.

However, this is the way of French cuisine. This is why I am here and not at a different culinary school. Because successfully cutting carrots into tiny perfect squares means that I can go anywhere and cut anything with precision, ease, and grace.

Not yet of course, but I'm getting there.

As the chef passed around the table looking at everyone's cuts he emphasized that sloppy cuts means sloppy cooking and to be served sloppy cuts at a French restaurant will tell you a lot about what's going on in the kitchen.

"It's not for your family," he reminded us, "It's not Moroccan."

Yeah, I thought so too, Moroccan? But turns out Chef was born in Morocco and is a big fan, while understanding that their cuisine does not rely on precise cuts. This conversation led to him recommending the "Best Moroccan Restaurant in all of Paris" to us.

Well, this sparked an idea and a bunch of us ended up going there for lunch...because we always do what the chefs tell us! Oui, Chef!

But Le Maroc, as the restaurant on 9 Rue Danielle Casanova calls itself, did not fail to impress. The chef was correct. We ordered family style: sharing a tomato salad, one plate of couscous with chickpeas and raisins, a tajine of lamb with prunes and almonds, a tajine of chicken with candied lemon and carrot, and a tajine of vegetables. Then we finished with the desert platter and mint tea. Oh, and of course the wine. We ordered the Rose because according to my friend enrolled in the school's wine course, Rose is the best choice of wine with Moroccan food.

So, if you find yourself in Paris and craving some melt in your mouth lamb, go listen to some free music around Opera and eat at Le Maroc!

(inside the restaurant. It's not too big!)

(I thought the ceiling looked pretty cool)