Food, Glorious Food (الغذاء والمجيدة)

I have no idea if Google Translator got that right, but fingers crossed....

Why the Arabic? Well, after our experience at the Gravy Farmhouse Dinner, Carl set out to find another foodie experience for us to enjoy. Luckily for us, we received a Living Social coupon to Babylon Restaurant for a 5 course Moroccan dinner for two - including wine pairings for the outstanding price of $49 (USD) per person. We jumped on that deal like a hungry cougar on an innocent young boy. 

Dining Room

I had previously visited Babylon for a lecture on current US immigration law, but had not yet had the pleasure of dining there. The location is on the edge of the downtown district. The patio is gorgeously designed for lounging by the reflecting pool while sampling flavored tobaccos from the hooka pipes. The interior is a mixture of downtown warehouse-chic and Moroccan tiled ceilings. Its a lovely space.

Like the farmhouse dinner, the dining for tonight's event was communal. Carl and I selected seats in the far corner, and were promptly joined by a rowdy group of ladies on their 'girls' night out." After a slight rearrangement of seating in order bring us all together we proceeded to introduce ourselves. We could not have been luckier in our dinner companions, who were energetic, warm, conversant, and eager to experience new flavors.

The chef and the wine steward began by welcoming us and then the dinner started. Our seat selection meant that we were usually last to be served for both wine and food. Due to our seat selection, the food was not piping hot when it arrived, but we also did not have to wait as long after receiving our courses for the chef to come out and describe it.

We started with a light and tangy Moroccan Salad paired with a Picpoul de Pinet

Followed by Almond Praline Chicken Roll Bastilla paired with a dry Rose.

Shrimp and Mussels over Cannelini paired with a Chardonnay (White) Burgundy

Rustic Lamb Tagine paired with a Malbec ("you can never go wrong with a Malbec)

Moroccan Almond Rolls paired with a Bombay Champagne Cocktail
(I was so excited, I was almost finished with dessert before I remembered to take the picture.)

Overall impressions of the evening:

• The restaurant is lovely.
• The service was adequate, but a little slow for such a large crowd. The kitchen did not seem capable of getting the dishes out quickly enough.
• The serving sizes were perfect for a tasting menu.
• The food was tasty, but was often not served quickly enough to be hot when it arrived at the table.
• There was quite a bit of time between each course. At the end of the evening, I was satisfied, but still a bit peckish. 
• The wine pairings were the highlight of the evening. The wines perfectly complemented each dish providing additional depth and highlighting subtle spices.
• The company was delightfully entertaining.

All in all, this was a great evening that combined three of my favorite things: Food, Drink, and Friends.

Babylon Restaurant
309 N. Dawson St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 838-8595