The Bite Magazine Issue 17

North African stew. Besides the three cocktails that Romain mentioned, Momo offers a selection of signature, classic and virgin cocktails as well as shooters with rather interesting names. We decided to try their best- selling cocktails: Momo Special, Inked Daiquiri and Rock the Casbah to get an idea of their creative beverages. Momo Special with Ketel One vodka, fresh mint, lemon juice, sugar and topped up with Fever Tree soda was very refresh- ing and you could really taste the mint and lemon juice. It wasn’t too sweet, with just the right kind of combination to get you in the mood for the evening. Inked Daiquiri with Bacardi Oro, lime juice, black nuts syrup, Wray & Nephew rum, chocolate bitters and garnished with a rose petal was a very interesting cocktail and one I definitely have never come across before. Although you can taste both the Bacardi and Wray & Nephew rums, it wasn’t overly strong and the petal garnish added a beautiful touch to the cocktail. The last cocktail, Rock the Casbah with Tanqueray gin, apricot brandy, orgeat syrup, lemon juice, cardamom bitters and blossom water spray, and garnished with sumac, dehydrated orange and mint was my least favourite out of the three. It cer- tainly had a kick and you can taste the bitters and gin but I found it slightly too strong for my taste and much preferred the first two cocktails. The starters at Momo restaurant are designed to be shared and there is quite a selection to choose from. With help from Karim, our host for the evening, we tried Baby Aubergines, Mechouia, Cheese Briouat, Grilled Scallops, Wood Pigeon Pastilla, Moroccan Salad and Fish Bourek. I’m not usually a lover of aubergines but the Baby Aubergines with labneh cheese, rocket pesto, broad beans and lemon confit surprisingly tan- talised my taste buds. I really loved the creaminess of the cheese together with the pesto. Mechouia with flamed three peppers, coriander, cumin and ouazza- nia oil and Moroccan salad with tomato, grilled peppers, cucumber, olives, lemon dressing and pitta crouton were pleasant dishes while the Grilled Scal- lops of ‘half shell queenies on the grill with sauce vierge’ provided an exqui- site taste. Cheese Briouat with four cheeses, fresh mint and orange marma- lade was absolutely delicious and had the right combination of taste without being overpowering. When I first saw Wood Pigeon Pastilla on the menu, I had my reservations of how it would taste but once Karim said it tasted just like a dessert, I decided to give it a try. I wasn’t disappointed – the fine pastry filled with sweet and spiced wood pigeon, along with almonds and cinna- mon served with orange marmalade had such a beautiful taste and was my favou- rite dish on the menu. Fish Bourek, the final starter we had was also delicious in a lovely crispy light pastry. Couscous is a very common dish in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) – Karim who is originally from Algeria explained that it is normally eaten on Fridays and at weddings in his country. The restaurant also offers a wide range of main dishes consisting of chicken, lamb, steak, fish and vegetables. The head chef had already provided a Photography: Tony Wellington bite cuisine Momo Special Grilled Scallops