This Kasbah rocks: Named for the walled citadels of North Africa, Bangsar's excellent new restaurant captures the essence of classic cuisines that span the breadth of Marrakesh to the Mediterranean. Steered by Algerian-born manager Emir, Moroccan chef Achraf and their friendly team, Kasbah offers an authentic voyage through a spectrum of cooking with lush textures and comforting flavours, served in a charming setting that evokes the enthralling medina of a historical Berber city like Essaouira.
Moroccan and Algerian specialities are the highlights: Commence with the kemia (RM28), a mezze-like selection of salads and small plates that include the Moroccan zaalouk (tenderly grilled eggplant with onions, garlic and cumin) and Algerian mechouia (capsicum with tomatoes and olive oil), presented in lovely little tajine pots that bear Kasbah's own engravings.
We like how the food is gorgeously spiced; a Maghrebian soup like harira, brimming with lamb morsels, vermicelli, chickpeas, parsley and coriander (RM16), proves well-nuanced and balanced in every respect, a testament to the kitchen's capabilities, complemented by Algerian semolina flatbread. A refreshing change from the typical menus that rule the roost in KL.
Main courses come in more tajines, comprising savoury, slow-cooked stews with heaps of soul, like chicken cooked with lemon confit, potatoes, green olives, garlic and coriander, a genuinely restorative recipe, reaching the table hot and hearty (RM25).
The star of the selection is the Royal Couscous (RM35), layered with succulent lamb, chicken and merguez sausage meat, laced with cumin, harissa and chilli peppers - constructed for sharing but entirely delicious enough to devour on one's own.
Pastas, pizzas and paninis are also available; wine is not, but bring your own (corkage is RM40). All in all, Kasbah is easy to endorse if you enjoy food that telegraphs the taste of a sumptuous heritage founded on family traditions.
Kasbah Kuala Lumpur
100 Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 11am-11pm. Tel: 03-2202-0206
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