Mazagan, Chef Riyad Bouizar's Traditional and Modern Moroccan - Columbia Pike in South Arlington - Closed

[DonRocks]

Pay no attention to anything you've read or heard about Mazagan; go here and get the Bastilla ($9.50, get the one with chicken) and Moroccan Couscous ($18) with caramelized onions and raisins. The couscous would make a perfect carryout dish - it will retain its heat for at least 30 minutes. If you don't want to invest your time, at least get this to take home.

Don't let the Hookah room scare you away - that's late-night stuff; the bar is a great place to dine, the food is made from scratch, and the interior reminds me of Monty's Steakhouse in Springfield - it's a very nice-looking restaurant ... and there were *no* diners in the main restaurant when I went. None.

The *last* thing I felt like doing right now is posting about a restaurant; it would have been immoral if I hadn't.

Trust me - we could be in danger of wrongly losing yet another restaurant if you don't.

Comfortably placed in Italic, and ranked as the #1 restaurant in South Arlington in the Dining Guide with no serious challenger in sight.

[Mazagan]

Thank you so much for this review of Mazagan, Don Rockwell!! I do believe Mazagan is now getting noticed!

Thank you again!
Suzanne (Riyad approves of this message!)

[Genevieve]

I posted this review to several friends who live nearby, who said they've been meaning to try it and will be sure to go. I'm making plans to go there with one of them - bastilla is one of my favorites and I was glad to see your great review.

[jdc]

Has anyone eaten here recently and can still vouch for it? I am picking my friend up at the airport next week and sent her a list of restaurants (all Don's italics, natch) and this was the one she chose - her comments to me in the email were "It's damn near impossible to find good Moroccan food, or any Moroccan food. It's my favorite cuisine alongside Israeli and they have a bastilla menu. Bastilla is, hands down, the most delicious food on earth. I'll explain everything" so I hope it's a hit.

[DonRocks]

Get the Chicken Bastilla as an appetizer, and a Lamb Couscous with Caramelized Onions and Raisins (*not* with vegetables - there are two choices, and the onions and raisins make the couscous a much better dish). I can vouch for these two items only, and suggest that you each get both of them (you can take any leftover couscous home and microwave it, or you can split one if you're light eaters). If you're eating in, get a Moretti La Rossa beer - it's got that malty taste that I enjoy in beer. I've had both of these dishes three times, and am afraid to order anything else - the only problem has been once, when the bastilla wasn't quite as hot as it should have been. If you ask them, "Do you make the chicken bastilla to order?" They'll of course say yes (whether they do or not), and make sure it's hot for you.

[Genevieve]

5 hours ago, jdc said:

Has anyone eaten here recently and can still vouch for it? I am picking my friend up at the airport next week and sent her a list of restaurants (all Don's italics, natch) and this was the one she chose - her comments to me in the email were "It's damn near impossible to find good Moroccan food, or any Moroccan food. It's my favorite cuisine alongside Israeli and they have a bastilla menu. Bastilla is, hands down, the most delicious food on earth. I'll explain everything" so I hope it's a hit.

I went a few months ago and it was great.  Loved the Bastilla. Unfortunately don't remember what else we got, but we liked everything we had.

[Genevieve]

Had the chicken bastilla again last night, and a rockfish tagine (with carrots, peppers, and tomatoes, I think - it's not on the online menu). Both were delicious. Ordered a side of saffron rice too, which was good for soaking up the rockfish's sauce.

[DonRocks]

On 6/27/2016 at 11:06 AM, DonRocks said:

Get the Chicken Bastilla as an appetizer, and a Lamb Couscous with Caramelized Onions and Raisins (*not* with vegetables - there are two choices, and the onions and raisins make the couscous a much better dish). I can vouch for these two items only, and suggest that you each get both of them (you can take any leftover couscous home and microwave it, or you can split one if you're light eaters). If you're eating in, get a Moretti La Rossa beer - it's got that malty taste that I enjoy in beer. I've had both of these dishes three times, and am afraid to order anything else - the only problem has been once, when the bastilla wasn't quite as hot as it should have been. If you ask them, "Do you make the chicken bastilla to order?" They'll of course say yes (whether they do or not), and make sure it's hot for you.

I've changed my mind about the Lamb Couscous - it's better with the "vegetables" instead of the "raisins" - the vegetables are fantastic, and they blend right in with the couscous. It isn't often that I have carrots that are *this* good.

Also, if you spend a couple extra dollars and get the Lamb Shank, called Marouzieya, you get a side order of couscous with vegetables, that's about 2/3 as big as a regular order (it's like getting a surprisingly large side order of spaghetti at an Italian restaurant if you order Veal Parmigian) - the only thing the couscous is missing is the lamb, but you have about three-times as much on-bone lamb as a shank, than you'd get in the Lamb Couscous. *And* you get a side order of raisin sauce, so it's the best of all worlds for $2 more.

doordash.com delivers in Arlington, btw - this is easily the best delivery service in Arlington, having Bombay Curry Company, as well as several other worthy restaurants. It'll set you back an extra $2.99 with service charge, but it's still good to have as an option. I don't think they've ever taken longer than 60 minutes.

Had the chicken bastilla again last night, and a rockfish tagine (with carrots, peppers, and tomatoes, I think - it's not on the online menu). Both were delicious. Ordered a side of saffron rice too, which was good for soaking up the rockfish's sauce.

I've been gun-shy about the Rockfish Tagine, but will try it now that you've endorsed it.

If there's a better Moroccan restaurant in the area right now, I don't know what it is.

[DanielK]

It was over a year ago, but in addition to the items mentioned by others, we also had a chicken tagine that was excellent. Doesn't seem to be on the current online menu, though there are other tagine dishes.

[Jessica Strelitz]

6 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Now I need to talk you into retrying Mazagan.

One bad and 2 "eh" meals there, plus a really creepy vibe from staff and male ownership -- it would be a miracle to get me back there with all of the other great options around. 

[DIShGo]

I had a great meal here tonight with my son. I started with the Lavish cocktail, an interesting mix of gin, honey, turmeric, saffron, lemon and lavender. The lavender flavor was particularly strong, but there was a lot of ice in the drink, and the flavors mellowed as I slowly sipped it.

For starters, we shared some tasty marinated white anchovies served on rustic bread and an order of fried calamari. After these appetizers, and all of the fresh bread they kept bringing us, I barely had room for my entree, Marouzieya, a delicious lamb shank served with a generous portion of couscous. The vegetable couscous was served in its own dish, but tasted great mixed with the lamb's sweet raisin and onion sauce.

[DIShGo]

I walked by tonight, and it appears Mazagan has closed, and is being replaced by a restaurant called, "Caspi."

[DaveO]

2 hours ago, DIShGo said:

I walked by tonight, and it appears Mazagan has closed, and is being replaced by a restaurant called, "Caspi."

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