Cafe Mogador

Cafe Mogador has been around forever. After 30 years, at 7pm on a Sunday night, this place doesn't have an empty table, and usually has small gatherings of people waiting outside.  Despite issues with "hostesses" (if you could call them that because they rarely greet you) and occasionally surly servers (one night our server was downright rude while later that week, the server could not have been more attentive, checking to see if the soup had dairy and making sure we enjoyed our meal), this place has stuck around for two simple reasons: (1) fabulous food and (2) reasonable (if not inexpensive for NYC) prices.

As I mentioned earlier this fall, Mogador's tagines are delicious and a steal at under $20.  The sidewalk seating at Mogador makes an attempt to resemble a cafe from Morocco with wrought iron and blue tiled sidewalk tables.  But you don't go to Mogador for the aesthetics, you go for one of the best tagines in town.

What to Eat:

Start with the dips.  I'm a hummus person and Mogador's are traditional and tasty.  But the reason the dips at Mogador are so important is that they provide a conduit to one of the best things in the restaurant: the pita. The freshly baked, pillowy, warm pita arrives at your table in four slices.  Note: you will want to ask for more pita before you finish your pita plate because you may be able to journey across the Arabian desert faster than you will be able to secure another pita plate.  The night we had the surly server, after I asked for more pita, she had the audacity to question if I really wanted another order, noting that I had already had two.  Sorry lady, some of us still eat carbs.

I failed to take a picture of the special Roasted Cauliflower appetizer but it was incredible and I hope it becomes a menu fixture.  The tiny cauliflower florets are roasted and seasoned, then tossed with a zesty preserved lemon dressing and spelt berries, and finally laid on top of a bed of sheep's yogurt.  For people that are vegetable phobes (readers, you know who you are....), there are so many different flavors and textures in this appetizer that you will forget it is vegetable based.

For an entree, you will have a tough time picking between the Chicken Tagine and the Lamb Tagine.  If you are lucky, you will go with a diner that will let you order both and share.  The chicken and the lamb both fall off the bone.  The chicken is moist and well seasoned while the lamb is tender and hearty.  Mogador allows you to pick how your Tagine will be prepared.  I usually opt for the Casablanca, with raisins, chickpeas and caramelized onions because I prefer something sweeter but there are savory options as well.

The Tagines also come with a generous portion of rice or couscous.  I recommend the couscous.  I usually find couscous too dry and bland but not at Mogador.  Theirs is light and buttery, a bit reminiscent of polenta.

Looking for food that will warm your soul (even though the servers might not ;))?  Order the Tagines at Cafe Mogador.

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Mogador takes reservations Sunday through Thursday, so make one!