Lemon Reviewed May / June 2009
Lemon is located in the Grace Bay Village.
Evocative of the captivating city of Marrakesh built in the middle of an oasis almost a thousand years ago... today we celebrate our own Moroccan culinary oasis in the middle of Grace Bay with Lemon. Amidst a luxuriant and prolific display of tropical flora on the grounds of Environmental Arts Landscaping, this is not a mirage – but the artistic and avant–garde creation of owners Mark Dillon and Natalie Zaiden.
A striking pair of date palms graces the entrance path leading to a lush, natural garden sanctuary where cocktails or dining can be enjoyed al fresco under two trendily–furnished gazebos, illuminated by candles, wall sconces and hammered metal hurricane lanterns that cast geometric beams of light. Through beautifully carved wooden doors warm, earthy colours and textures inherent in Moroccan style décor emerge. Tables of rich, dark wood flank bench seating – comfortable and relaxing accentuated with a multitude of decorative pillows, together with antique white chairs cushioned in an attractive contrasting maroon. The pleasurable resonance of Moroccan music, stylish lanterns, dazzling chandeliers and billowy, white panels draped from the ceiling complete the tent–style ambiance.
“A modern take on Moroccan cuisine with Mediterranean influences” Lemon will tempt, entice and captivate your palate with some of the most unusual and provocative flavours, aromas and textures. Dillon, our amiable and conversant host for the evening admits that while Lemon holds fast to many traditional dishes and spices, they make the presentation their own. “It’s a mélange” he acknowledges, borrowing from Spain, Tangiers, Portugal and Greece.
From the moment you arrive your senses are aroused and intrigued by the fascinating and compelling fragrances of aromatic spices like ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and saffron. Compliments of Chef Jesse MacDonald, we began with a grilled pita brushed with olive oil and dusted with sesame seeds and zhatar (a spice blend of powdered sumac, dried thyme and sesame seeds). Taking in the immediate and dynamic aromas of the zhatar, we applauded the great flavours of this simple, yet appealing palate teaser.
Grilled calamari stuffed with merguez.
Be tempted by an array of fresh and artistic salads with many distinctive and traditional ingredients, or savour a delicious and heartwarming bowl of far–flung flavours in Lemon’s Lentil–Tomato Soup; augmented by their Soup of the Day.
Opting to share a bevy of tastes, we unanimously voted to order appetizers from the tapas portion of the menu – a great way to try several small dishes. Beginning with Humus, its origins a mystery – its virtues praised for thousands of years, it is a popular dish throughout the Middle East, Mediterranean and even India. Served with warm pita bread for dipping, this satisfying and nutritious dip packed great flavours and textures with the detectable and pleasurable tang of lemon and the always agreeable redolence of garlic. Spicy Chickpea Fritters were prepared ‘pancake’ style – crisp, tasty and succulent, served with a refreshing side of Yogurt Mint Sauce. This fabulous sauce also came in the company of Kafta Kebobs – a perennial favourite of mine; ground beef, cumin, paprika, cilantro and cumin rolled sausage–style and grilled on a skewer. Our last tapas of the evening reigned supreme – Grilled Calamari. Typically a Portuguese dish, this Moroccan adaptation was stuffed with merguez – a red, spicy sausage, marinated olives, harissa and turmeric rice. The colossal calamari was so incredibly tender; Dillon could not help but take note of our obvious and undulating praise of this dish – adding that the fats in the sausage tenderize the squid. If you are only going to order one thing off the tapas menu – Grilled Calamari is the one! Grilled Peppers marinated in olive oil, Beet & Cumin Potato, Grilled Marinated Peppers and Merguez and Roasted Eggplant stuffed with grilled onions and cherry tomatoes are just a few more of the tapas offerings.
B’stilla stuffed with chicken.
Main Dishes were divvied up with the usual enthusiasm and zeal, a somewhat competitive and entertaining engagement of culinary craps, with me, the writer, auspiciously privileged to partake in a little taste of them all! As each dish reached its destination, the potent aromas floated and hovered at our table, forcing our mouths to salivate profusely with Dillon remarking, “I won’t blame you if you sniff the dishes!” The Blackened Grouper was presented atop a bed of tomato lentils and scalloped potatoes – the moist, firm fillets generously rubbed with their special house blend of spices that packed a searing and fiery punch – if you love blackened fish, you will not be disappointed. The creamy, tender potatoes and the sweet, nuttiness of the lentils provided a perfect diversion from the marvelous heat. The Tagine, the national dish of Morocco, characterizes not only the name of the dish but also the name of the conical shaped vessel that it is cooked in. Undeniably it is the quintessence of comfort–food, a gratifying and savoury stew of lemon olive chicken or beef seasoned with a traditional blend of herbs and spices and served on a bed of light, tender couscous in your own personal tagine. Lemon also offers a Vegetarian Tagine with chickpeas, fennel, sweet potato, celery and carrots. I was intrigued by the B’stilla – layers of crispy phyllo pastry stuffed with chicken breast, cinnamon, and almonds and seasoned with an exotic blend of herbs and spices. You may have experienced the traditional pie version, but Lemon’s triangular ‘turnover style’ motivated me to eat with my fingers in the customary Moroccan way – with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand... it is also quite acceptable to use bread as a utensil, to scoop and soak up all the fabulous morsels, sauces and gravies. The chicken was shredded and completely tender while the buttery, flakey phyllo simply melted in your mouth. The crunchy almonds added a wonderful dimension to this dish. My fellow dining companion’s Moussaka with eggplant featured cinnamon and cayenne – his large helping swiftly devoured with such speedy gusto and passion, this writer was unable to procure even a tidbit of this North African delight to experience for herself. While he had raved of this dishes’ numerous attributes from previous dining occasions, when I castigated him for not saving me a bite, he simply replied without a sliver of guilt or remorse, “You’re just going to have to come back honey!” I did manage to take in the absolutely wonderful bouquet of this obviously addictive dish, and it was divine.
Moussaka
A surprisingly extensive and very reasonable wine list proffers wines from Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia, California, Chile and Argentina. Our first bottle of Chamarre Grand Reserve Pinot Noir was a flattering accompaniment to our first course tapas; but our spicy main dishes demanded the more intense body, concentrated fruit flavours and long finish of the 2006 Catena Malbec.
My dessert was the House Specialty – date confit with orange water rolled in phyllo and drizzled with honey and roasted almonds – suffice to say it was a fabulous blend of exciting and out of the ordinary textures and tastes. We also espoused the appetizing virtues of two lemon tarts on offer this evening – a baked Moroccan–style, with a real lemon kick; and a French–style, light and creamy, similar to a Key Lime Pie and what’s more – a chocolate tart with both milk and dark chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
Tea is an important part of Moroccan culture and everyday life – heavily sweetened it is said to be an acquired taste for some... I however, acquired a taste immediately! Gunpowder black tea and an abundance of fresh mint leaves are steeped in a traditional pot of the Aladdin variety that just begged to be rubbed!
While no genie appeared – good fortune was indeed ours this evening – an original and previously unexplored dining experience brimming with a wealth of culinary riches!
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