Restaurants / city centre
Moroccan Corner – restaurant review
Lunchtimes for city centre office workers are due to get more exciting, with the opening of Moroccan Corner on the junction of Pipe Lane and Colston Street, in the shadow of Colston Tower.
The snug cafe, with bright orange walls, has space to sit in and watch the MetroBus roadworks progress over a cup of coffee, as well as offering meals to take away. The Moroccan-inspired menu includes salads from £6, and all-day breakfast dishes like shakshuka (£5.50).
The cafe had only been open for three days when I nipped in for lunch, but a steady stream of customers – perhaps lured by the bass-heavy Moroccan tunes pumping out of the open door – came in to see what Moroccan Corner were offering. The friendly staff talked them through the options, and several office workers promised, with smiles, to come back another day and sample the food, while others broke out of the Tesco-meal-deal banality and gleefully left carrying aromatic parcels to make the office jealous.
is needed now More than ever
Bristol-born owner Imran Jamil explained that he was inspired to open the cafe after spotting a gap in the market. “There’s not much nice Moroccan food in Bristol, especially not right in the centre,” he said. “We’re making it here the tradition way, there’s no corner-cutting. Moroccans are coming in here and getting a taste of home.”
I plumped for one of the classics on the menu: lamb meatballs (£8.50). After a short wait, in which the Moroccan chef, Abdul, cooked it in the little back kitchen, filling the cafe with delicious smells, the more-than-generous portion arrived, steaming hot.
The meatballs, slathered in a tomato and herb sauce, were cooked to perfection, herby and moreish, and flavourful rather than spicy. They were accompanied by chunky vegetables – carrots, parsnip and potatoes – which were hearty and filling. A portion of white rice and slaw finished the dish off nicely, though I would have chosen couscous if I’d had the choice.
The friendly waitress offered to box up my leftovers to take home without prompting, which was very much appreciated, and will no-doubt help the cafe keep their food wastage down and keep hungry customers coming back.
I was tempted by the cakes on the counter, freshly made in Henleaze by Absolutely Cakes, but thought I might burst if I risked it. It was a great, filling lunch which certainly broke the mould and spiced up the rest of the day.
Moroccan Corner, 4-6 St. Augustine’s Parade, Bristol. BS1 4UD
0117 929 3712
Read more: Mesa – restaurant review
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