x
Breaking News
More () »

Trek to Morocco without leaving the metro: Moroccan eats to be enjoyed in East Atlanta Village

At the Table ATL takes a lunch stop at Marrakech Express to learn about the traditions of Moroccan cuisine.

Country: Morocco 

Dish: Couscous 

Location: East Atlanta Village 

Stop: #5

It's a rainy day in East Atlanta Village, but the weather doesn't deter customers from a stop at Marrakech Express

At the stove, you'll find chef Amal Alaoui, who learned traditional Moroccan cooking from her mother and family and with perseverance, shares such dishes with metro Atlanta. 

"When I first started, nobody want to come," Alaoui told At the Table ATL. "But I start to give samples to people. I do lots of farmers markets, including Grant Park."

The menu rotates daily at the restaurant's EAV outpost, but today, it's a national dish to be enjoyed: couscous, steamed three times per the Moroccan method. 

“How does this dish represent Morocco?”

"It’s our national dish. We do it every Friday," Alaoui said. "It’s a reminder of family. We eat couscous together."

Since couscous is all about gathering together and family, Alaoui said it's not a dish to be prepared for simple two or three people.

"We do couscous for ten people," she said, serving the couscous alongside vegetables, chicken and a steaming hot pot of freshly made mint tea. 

“How does this dish represent Atlanta?”

"It’s happy people in Morocco, happy people in Atlanta also. They love life," Alaoui said. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out