An authentic achievement

Moroccan restaurants have traditionally tended to be low-key, neighbourhood venues, frequented by in-the-know natives. Morocco isn't exactly internationally renowned for its indigenous drinks, so bars at these places have tended to imitate the ersatz souk style, glamourising and westernising the concept to suit the style-bar market.

With the exception of Momo in Heddon Street and SO.UK in Clapham, few Moroccan bars have managed to successfully combine cuisine and style, but perhaps we have a new kid on the block with the opening of Occo in Marylebone.

This former pub (very recently The Street cafe-bar) has a large open-plan bar and restaurant operation on the ground floor. It's decorated with sensible, robust wooden furniture and sports contemporary decor with a few Moroccan objets d'art. A lounge area at the back of the main room is an intimate affair with comfy cushions and candles, and a further bar in the basement has a louche, decadent look about it. Both rooms will make good venues for private parties.

The staff seemed to be of Scandinavian origin when I visited. All very nice, if a little inefficient, but I had expected to see staff who had seen a little more sunshine. Later in the evening, though, some geezer appeared wearing a frock and a fez. I think he was running food and crockery to and from the kitchen, but he could have been part of a cabaret act.

The busiest time of day for Occo is during the after-work hours when boys and girls of all ages congregate to swallow lager (draughts of Amstel, Staropramen and Heineken are on tap, along with bottles of Asahi and Peroni). Only one Moroccan wine appears on the list, an extremely palatable, nicely balanced fruity red Domaine de Sahari Guerrouane (2003).

When I see raspberry jam as a cocktail ingredient, I know to swerve away from that particular drink. I stuck to as simple a drink as possible on the assumption that the Scandos might struggle with anything complicated. A Cosmopolitan (£6.50) was nicely presented and well-made, and an Apricot Caipirinha (£6.50) is a flavoursome variation on this cachaca classic.

North African tapas are available in the bar area, and these include mint and ginger lamb brochettes, warm salad of lobia, chickpeas in a pumpkin purée, and frittata of aubergine and sweet potato.

The owners seem to be trying to force order and formality into the main room by encouraging punters to use a particular section of the room for a la carte dining - if I were them, I would resist this and let Occo evolve into the no-nonsense, no-frills, happy-go-lucky space it has the potential to be. I will be happy to go back again - the next time I'm in Marylebone, that is.

Occo
58 Crawford Street, W1H 4NA