Kasbah: A Moroccan Lunch

Kasbah has been around for almost a year now at the Fort Strip. Despite seeing it almost every day, we had never gotten around to trying the place out, mostly because it seems pricey and we're not familiar with the cuisine anyway. All I knew about the place was it seemed like a good place to enjoy some shisha.

We came across a Groupon voucher and decided to take the chance to give the restaurant a shot.

Kasbah on a hot, sunny day. All this picture needs is some sand to complete the mood!

We stepped in to escape the harsh sunlight and were welcomed by a nice atmosphere. I do not know the first thing about Moroccan design but the place looked positively foreign, and I appreciated that. We picked a table, gave our voucher, and waited. Since we gave our only copy of the deal we bought, I had no idea what food was coming for our meal. Strange, but hey, I enjoyed the element of surprise. I do not know why we were never given a menu. Was it an eat-your-food-and-leave kind of thing? I was in a hurry to get back after lunch so I was okay with not perusing the menu. That does mean this post won't have prices for the food, though. Sorry!

Super sweet, almost nectar-like Iced Tea.

Being someone who loves flavored drinks (as healthy as water is, it couldn't be more lame), I was pleased to see that the meal comes with Iced Tea. It was excessively sweet, but this is better than the opposite, and at the least, it didn't taste like the usual powdered Nestea drink I have grown so tired of. They apparently have new Summer Lunch Specials set meals now, which look interesting, but I find 480 pesos to be a bit too expensive for a regular lunch out, especially if you're not particularly a big fan of Mediterranean food. I'd personally rather walk down to Racks with that amount of cash and have a feast, but that's just me.

Spiced Hummus and Pita Bread

I don't know why, but I like it when pita bread is served in cloth. Haha. Hummus, which is processed garbanzos, is always something I enjoy, and this was no exception. This nicely prepared hummus was mixed in with some spice which made it even better. I found the pita bread to be quite dry, thick, and flour-y, though, so I only partially enjoyed this appetizer.

Tabbouleh Salad

This was one time I really felt savvy about nothing because though the name sounds familiar, I know nothing about Tabbouleh. I can't tell you if this was good Tabbouleh, but I can tell you I didn't like it that much. It was like bunched-up moist herbs and tasted about as grassy as it looks. I had to finish this one off myself, lettuce and all, because Alvie wouldn't go further than one taste. Luckily, it's about as heavy as air. Haha. The lemon improved the taste greatly for me.

Grilled Eggplant, Grilled Fish Mahi-Mahi, Grilled Chicken Roulade, a Tomato and Rice.

We were already slightly full from the pita and leaves when the main dish came. I liked the faint, exotic spices that came with the fish and chicken but I wish they were a little less faint. The entrées were a tad too bland for us. The eggplant did have a nice grilled flavor, but was also lacking in taste. We had to resort to our own personal fixes to enjoy the dishes. I asked for hot sauce and Alvie, table salt. With my tongue singed enough, I was able to savor the meal better. I preferred the chicken, but wasn't happy to find out it was stuffed with a prune. I am proud to say I can and will eat almost anything, but prunes are one of the few things I will never (EVER!) touch. Fortunately, it's easy to pick out and continue to go about your business. :)

Verdict:
Iced Tea: Okay
Spiced Hummus: Great
Pita Bread: Bad
Tabbouleh: Bad (I don't know this dish, so don't take my word for it. I do know what good Pita bread is though. Haha.)
Grilled Eggplant: Okay
Grilled Fish Mahi-Mahi: Okay with hot sauce
Grilled Chicken Roulade: Okay with hot sauce

The voucher cost us P400.00, so for the new experience, it wasn't bad. It's available here if you'd like to see more detail or stay tuned for the next similar offer: http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/deals/metro_manila/Kasbah-Manila/716704764

It was still an enjoyable lunch, but it's quite pricey for food that is exotic and not overly delicious. It's especially difficult to choose a place like this when you have a nice place like The Kebab Factory nearby in Burgos Circle, or a cheaper Shawarma Guys just around the corner (that I have yet to try). I can't say for sure if we'll be back but I am not closing the door on Kasbah just yet.

Love Kasbah? Hate it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!

- Joaquin

KASBAH RESTAURANT AND BAR
The Fort Strip
7th Avenue Corner Katipunan Circle, Taguig City
(02) 553-4499
Facebook: Kasbah The Fort


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