Madeleine Jelstrupp
Marrakech Gourmand: Sahbi Sahbi, Celebrating the Remarkable Cuisine of Moroccan Women
One of Marrakech's finest restaurants can be found in the modern
district of Guéliz. Building on the success of Bô-Zin and Grand Café de la
Poste, two Marrakesh institutions, Helena Paraboschi and Pierre Pirajean
have opened a third establishment, Sahbi-Sahbi, which means "souls-
sisters" in Darija, with a décor designed by studio KO. This
restaurant is an all-female gourmet oasis, promising a unique
sensory and gustatory journey into the heart of Morocco's culinary heritage.
A women's restaurant with an open kitchen
In Morocco, the kitchen is a hidden place where meals are prepared by women, who imitate their mothers and grandmothers, while adding a personal touch to traditional recipes, such as the unavoidable tajines or couscous, slightly modifying the dosage of a spice, adding an aromatic herb, increasing or decreasing the cooking time. At Shabi Sahbi, these preparation secrets are revealed in an open space where women concoct, in full view of everyone, tasty dishes that speak of culinary memories and traditions that are still very much alive. Helena Paraboschi and Pierre Pirajean, the restaurant's managers, have long wanted to shed light on the gastronomic reality of this bewitchingly beautiful country, on the variety of popular Moroccan cuisine, prepared by women in the depths of riads and homes. A successful gamble.
Dinner and couscous on Friday lunchtime
The dishes on the menu at Shabi Sahbi, which is open only for dinner and Friday lunch - the only day when couscous is served according to custom, are a constant source of amazement.
Right from the start, the chliydat (cooked salads) signal their uniqueness with a rustle of spices. Maasla of pumpkin, honey and almonds, Zaalouk of eggplant with lemon and coriander, Bakoula of purslane or Aadess belkhliaa, lentils and beef jerky... inaugurate a fantasia of mastered flavours, melting to perfection.
Lamb tajine, a traditional Moroccan dish, is served with sesame-sweetened eggplant, free-range chicken is prepared à la fassi, whole and encapsulated in a trip (a light pancake), and keraaine (beef feet with raisins and chickpeas) has been simmering for hours. The exceptionally kind women on the team make it a point of honor to match these discovery recipes with Moroccan wines bursting with sunshine and savoir-faire. A one-way ticket to Marrakech!
A restaurant with a chiaroscuro decor by Studio KO
In addition to its exceptional cuisine, this restaurant in the Moroccan capital stands out for its exceptional decor
, created by two world-renowned architects. Olivier Marty and Karl Fournier of Studio KO need no introduction. From the minimalist, graphic and timeless houses erected in the Moroccan desert to the restaurants of chef Cyril Lignac, from London's Chiltern Firehouse with hotel magnate André Balazs, to Pierre Berger's villa in Tangiers and the Saint-Laurent museum, this is the creative duo that everyone is snapping up!
With them, we're far from gratuitous architectural effects and gestures - quite the contrary! While studying the context, materials and local know-how to minimize the impact on the ecosystem, they always deliver a place where paradigms are reversed. At Le Sahbi Sahbi, the architect duo, who cultivate a strong Mediterranean tropism, have imagined a harmonious blend of zelliges, earth and wood, set in natural tones and graphic interplay: "a decoration that echoes Moroccan craftsmanship, but revisited to give it a breath of modernity". An inspiring place where the usually hidden Moroccan cuisine becomes the epicenter of the restaurant's life. Where beauty is subtly expressed: mysterious signage, textured wood origami, play of light and relief tell the story of traditional materials and skills freely reinterpreted.
Marrakech: 37 boulevard Mansour-Eddahbi
Tel: +212 6 62 68 23 12
www.sahbisahbi.com
