Tasting Menu at Tagine

 Amuse bouche: roasted pepper cigar; almond, pistachio and lemon soup; spoonful of goat cheese with fig

Hummus, Babagaouj (eggplan purée), berber bread, marinated olives, tomato and cucumber tartar, palate cleanser: orange and shaved carrot salad 

Babaganouj, tomato and cucumber tartar [diced Israeli cucumber, tomatoes and shallots in house vinaigrette, lemon sorbet and a rasberry], palate cleanser, hummus, berber bread, marinated olives

Roasted vegetables in olive oil and lemon 

 Bastilla: phyllo dough, brussel sprouts, asparagus cinnamon, powdered sugar, rasberries and almonds

 Bastilla

Sea Bass Tagine: Roasted pan sea bass served with fingerling potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli, topped with a lemon sauce 

Vegetable couscous 

Dessert: "chocolate soup" [chocolate soup, a lot like hot chocolate but thicker, over caramelized peanuts, vanilla ice cream and mini marshmallows] and freshly made baklava

Place: Tagine
          132 North Robertson Boulevard
          Beverly Hills, CA

Genre: Moroccan

$$$

Hit or miss? Hit!

My opinion:
I have a 'thing' for Middle Eastern culture: music, food, art, you name it, but food in particular. I'll admit that Tagine isn't the perfect "authentic moroccan" restaurant, but it is certainly a phenomenal "nouveau morocain" restaurant. When I say "nouveau marocain" I mean the 'americanized-gourmet' spin on traditional cuisine: ie. Nouvelle Cuisine (French). Anyway, any review will never do justice to my dining experience at Tagine. Though I was disappointed that they didn't play moroccan music [initially I was rather angry], the quality of the food, its presentation, the flavors and the service were exceptional. You can order à la carte, but for the ultimate experience, I recommend the tasting menu. Here's the line up: the amuse bouche, hummus, babaganouj, marinated olives, berber bread, cucumber tartar, palate cleanser, Bastilla, Sea Bass Tagine, Vegetable couscous and finally the chocolate soup. The original tasting menu includes Lamb, which, according to my omnivorous friends, was excellent, but the menu is very flexible if you're a vegetarian or a pescetarian, like myself. This review would be too long and boring if I were to do my usual description on each dish, so I'll keep it short and highlight my favorites. The vegetarian Bastilla was absolutely delicious. I like the fact that rather than wrapping the vegetables in phyllo, they layered the phyllo dough. It brought out a the flavors from the asparagus and brussels sprouts. Bastilla is often a pillow of phyllo dough stuffed with rice, egg, chicken, powdered sugar and cinnamon, but since the insides are shrouded with phyllo dough, you get the sense that the dough is overpowering. Tagine did an excellent job in minting the integrity of each ingredient as well as complementing all of the distinctive flavors of Bastilla: ie. the raspberries on the top, though small, added to and brought out the sweetness in the phyllo dough, which balanced the savory flavors of the vegetables. Should you decide not to try the tasting menu, you must try the Bastilla. Secondly, the Sea Bass Tagine was probably the best restaurant-prepared sea bass I've ever had, yes even better than the sea bass at Fig and Olive. I don't even know how to describe it. You'll just have to trust me and try for yourself. Lastly, our waiter told us the chocolate soup was the 'best dessert' we will have ever had, and of course I'm thinking in my head, "ok...sure," but boy was he right. Think of hot chocolate with a thicker consistency, not too thick though, poured over caramelized peanuts, vanilla ice cream and marshmallows in a cup...does that not sound amazing? Well if you have doubts, you just have to have some. I'd have to say that Tagine is one of my all-time favorite restaurants.