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August 1, 2010 11:23 pm

A Must Try~ Zitune (French Moroccan) is Restaurant of the Week (ROTW)!

Zitune, Los Altos, CA named dishcrawl’s Restaurant of the Week!

French food is my favourite cuisine.  It’s the art of precision, elegance, and flavour packed into one moment on a plate that intrigue me.  Moroccan is also one of my favourite cuisines.  It’s the spices, richness, and creativity of such a free spirited culture.  Executive Chef Chafik Larobi brings these two cuisines together and creates harmony and balance at Zitune (located in the heart of downtown Los Altos).

A cozy restaurant with dimly lit tables and high ceilings without refrain welcome you into a wonderland of flavours. 

A champagne cocktail in lieu of a kir royal tickles my nose.  Sparkling wine, pomegranate, and a twist of lemon bubble on my tongue happily chatting about the delightful evening that has just begun.

While our palates still need whetting, a Marrakesh Mojito with Bacardi, mint, and tangerine thin the blood in our veins. 

And what, but an amuse bouche is quickly served as our hungry thoughts travel to the chef’s mind as we sip on the bar’s delights.  Chilled tomato gazpacho with a drizzle of olive oil.  Tart and clean.

It is the Pastilla that is insisted upon first.  The scent of succulent, hot duck meat commanded my attention as my fork explored the inner walls of the crisp phyllo dough.  The caramelized red onion compote added depth to the forgiving flesh.  A reduction of spices melted in with the other elements of this dish and commanded sweet surrender.

The Mezze was next.  Kalamata olives and cheese.  The purest definition of salty.  Each bite spilled the juice of marinated olives, saltiness encompassing even the empty corners of my cheeks with squealing pleasure.  The ricotta’s sturdy neutrality soothed my tongue and it was on to the rest. 

Mixtures of eggplant, beans and spinach did indeed spread nicely on the fresh grill-toasted pita.

We joked about the idea that this might be a #drinkcrawl.  A Raspberry Thyme Lemon Drop was ordered.  With a sugared rim beckoning a seductive sip, curious tongues did not resist the temptation to lick the hardening sugar off the edges.  Perfection to the last satisfying sip. 

Squid and octopus in a light  lemon herb sauce was next.  Simple, bold flavours complimented the chewy critters.  If you wanted a textural seduction, this dish was the one for you.

Mmm and what of the Lavender Blood Orange Cosmo?  Made mainly with Charbay Blood Orange Vodka and fresh blood orange juice, it was a nice contrast from the salty olives. 

One thing I admire about Chef Chafik is his ability to sear everything to precise perfection.  A gorgeous piece of halibut bounced on a bed of summer vegetables (corn, peas, and spinach) that had been ladled into a pile of buttered cous cous.  Freshness of diced tomato and cilantro on top completed a summer in Morocco romance with my mouth.

A surprising cocktail on the menu required exploration.  The Cilantro Margarita.  Made with Herradura Silver Tequila and fresh cilantro,  this vibrant drink needed to be sipped at from the glass so the scent of freshly muddled cilantro tickled at our noses.

One of my favourite items on Zitune’s menu ~ the M’Rouzia Tagine.  Lamb shank braised with ras el hanout, prunes, honey, raisins and almonds, the classic flavours of traditional Moroccan cuisine stood out magnificently in this bold, yet comforting dish.

A light martini with cucumber-infused gin, ginger, and fresh mint before the silent slip into dessert.

I had to get it.  Lemon lavender ice cream.  Just a simple scoop was fine.  I wanted to explore the simplicity of fresh cream, eggs, and butter blended with lemon and lavender.  My mind was taken to another dimension as I let the first cold scoop slide into my heated mouth.  I could still feel the sugary residue from the unprocessed ingredients.  It was as if a dance of little fairies in unison glided across my tongue in the form of sugar granules.  My heart palpitated.

Medjool Date Cake to finish off the night.  Dense cake cooked with heavily aromatic spices such as cinnamon and cloves dripping with honey and in a pool of creme anglaise, surrounded by spiced hazelnuts.

If there is  one thing Chafik can do is make your fantasies of flavour a reality.  Being able to master French and Moroccan cuisine by culminating the elements of both into such unison on a plate is an art not mastered perfectly by many.

Next time you go in, tell Chafik we say hi.   He’s more than happy to help with a recommendation.  Or visit dishcrawl.com and we’ll do the work for ya.

Posted on 01. Aug, 2010 by tracy

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