Road to Morocco

You wouldn't mistake the recently re-launched Pasha for anything other than a Moroccan restaurant. Walking in off a bright and busy Gloucester Road into the gloom of a groundfloor bar heady with incense, you're immediately transported to the souk in Tangiers, the medina in Marrakech, or a riad in Essaouira. And if you think I'm labouring the point, I've got nothing on Pasha.

Despite the new owners sending Sheffield-born chef David Jones to Casablanca to research recipes, as well as importing hand-crafted furniture from Morocco, there's more than a perfumed whiff of North African theme restaurant about the place. It boasts scarlet silk cushions, intricate Islamic-style wall carvings, beaded light shades and bronze coloured walls. And I haven't even mentioned the blaring Ra' soundtrack or hookahs yet.

So they don't do things by halves at Pasha, which is no bad thing when it comes to cocktails. The energetic barman concocted a 'Pasha' made from vodka, mint, coriander, fresh lime and ginger beer and a pomegranate vodka Martini that slipped down a treat with delicious snacks of spicy marinated olives and crunchy roasted broad beans.

What is done by halves are the tables and chairs, which were so near the ground that I could have done with some assistance lowering myself into one. At least help with ordering from the rather daunting eight-page menu was at hand from our perky waitress. Her tip for the two of us was to share three or four kemia (small starter dishes) or just a couple if we were planning on ordering a hefty couscous main course.

As we had decided on chicken tagine and a mixed grill of chicken, lamb and merguez sausages called sniwat laham meshwi (our waitress: 'No, I don't know how to pronounce it. Like you, I'm not Moroccan,' - smart girl) we allowed ourselves two kemia from the cold selection and one from the hot list.

Zaalouk, an aubergine dip flavoured with cumin and coriander, was pleasant enough, scooped up with some traditional soft and slightly sweet white Moroccan bread. But not exactly thrilling at £5.50 for a small bowl. Kebda bel felfel - slices of cold lamb's liver with peppers - offered all the pleasure of chewing a rubber sink plug. A classic bastilla made from spiced pigeon, cinnamon and roasted almonds wrapped in pastry dusted with icing sugar was a mad Moroccan take on an Eccles cake but delicious nevertheless.

If you think Lebanese wine is some sort of bad joke, think again. The highly regarded Chateau Musar Blanc on the list for a reasonable £30 was unavailable so we settled for a bottle of Chateau Ksara Blanc de Blancs. Made from a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Semillon, it went particularly well with the subtle, savoury spiciness of the saffron and green olives in my generously proportioned tagine but less well with the more pronounced flavours of the mixed grill.

At 9.15pm, the lights went down, the music went up and two belly dancers sashayed their way along the narrow aisle between the two rows of tables. The waiters added to the entertainment by performing their own slinky moves to prevent their large trays of food from being sent flying by the dancers' abandoned gyrating. The table next to us missed out on a complimentary mint tea shower by a matter of millimetres.

Desserts of creme caramel with sultanas and figs and a pomegranate sorbet were decent enough but you'd be better off ordering the tea (poured from a great height with a theatrical flourish) along with a multi-tiered tray of treats that includes baklava, pistachios and Turkish delight.

By then we'd had enough Moroccan madness for one evening and left the good people of Gloucester Road queuing out the door, ready to party on into the night.

pasha
Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4PP