Tagine

Martha Burr

Citysearch

The Scene
Ruby and burgundy velvet banquettes with cushions line this dark, intimate room, and leather-stamped tables are adorned with tiny flickering glass lanterns. Diners on the aisle-side of the tiny tables sit on cushioned stools. Artsy Middle Eastern photos and abstract paintings hang above well-heeled Beverly Hills locals as their conversations rise above the cool jazz and pop.

The Food
The restaurant offers an array of refined and subtle classic North African dishes. Salads, sculpted in tiny bites on glass plates, offset contrapuntal flavors and textures--carrot with preserved lemon is tangy and delicate, while eggplant is rich, cumin-spiked, smooth and smoky. Bestila, a filo pastry stuffed with savory minced chicken, dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon, is dazzling. The half-dozen tagines--stews slow-cooked in clay pots--come with aromatic vegetables and couscous. Notable is the lamb shank, tender and pink, kissed with honey. For dessert, baklava, perhaps the best in L.A., is served with sweet Moroccan mint tea.