Desert Riches

Moroccan food is flavorful, aromatic and tactile--you eat with your fingers. In short, it’s utterly sensual, making it a great cuisine for a romantic dinner. You can try it out at Casbah, a new Moroccan restaurant in mid-city Long Beach.

Owner Ahmed Diouri, who hails from Fez, Morocco, designed the interior himself. He didn’t go the usual route of local Moroccan restaurants and drape the place to look like the interior of a tent. And the floor isn’t covered with North African cushions; you sit on one of the long sofas that line the room or on a wrought-iron chair with a faux leopard-skin back.

What’s really striking is what he’s done with the walls and floor. The walls are covered with an enormous mural of a caravan crossing a desert. The tile floor, though it’s partly concealed by lush carpets, has been painted to resemble swirling sands. The whole thing is an ingenious work of art that merits a look even if you aren’t planning dinner.

And the chef is Abdellah Ouassil, the former chef of Long Beach’s other Moroccan restaurant, Oasis. This man can cook, though it seems to me he has toned down his use of aromatic touches somewhat--as in the house bread, for instance.

The yeasty round loaves, served in wedges from a hand-woven basket, are not fragrant with anise and sesame like authentic Moroccan bread. And the entrees skimp on many of the flavorings that give Moroccan cuisine its unique character, such as preserved lemons, the hot pepper paste harissa, ginger, cumin and fresh herbs.

It looks as if this has been done consciously, to minimize culture shock. In a similar spirit, tables are set with silverware; you’re not expected to eat with your fingers. This means the meal doesn’t begin with the ritual hand-washing.

Still, you do get a delicious meal here. Before the entree comes harira, a lentil soup made with rich lamb broth. There is a hint of cumin in it, and just enough carrot to impart a faint sweetness.

Everything else in the meal will be a la carte, another thing distinguishing Casbah from most Moroccan restaurants. They typically serve multi-course prix-fixe dinners, which is fine when you’re in the mood for a big meal. But I like the idea of being able to come to a Moroccan restaurant and order whatever--and however much--appeals to me.

The Moroccan salads are done well. My favorite is the one actually called Moroccan salad: roasted peppers pureed with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, cumin and lemon juice. You can also get a refreshing salad of cucumbers and tomatoes in a garlicky vinaigrette.

At the top of the menu sits bestila, the beloved filo pastry filled with chicken, eggs and almonds. This one--scented with saffron, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon--is served smolderingly hot, and is well worth the half-hour wait. In the same section of the menu you also find briouat (literally, envelopes): hot cigar-shaped filo pastries with a spicy ground beef filling.

Naturally, Casbah serves couscous, the steamed grain product that is virtually synonymous with North African food. There are two ways to eat it here: The vegetarian couscous is smothered in a faintly sweet medley of stewed carrots, onions, zucchini and tomatoes, with harissa; the other adds either lamb or chicken.

Several of Casbah’s entrees are called tagines. They get their name from the utensil they’re traditionally cooked in, an earthenware casserole with a stylish conical lid. Unfortunately, these rustic stews don’t come out in tagines, but on Western plates.

Heading the tagine list is mechoui, a huge lamb shank that actually happens to be roasted, rather than stewed in a tagine. This is a terrific version, anyway. The juicy, tender meat is covered with dark brown crust. Another possibility is the classic chicken braised with onions, green olives and preserved lemons, called tagine Marakechi II. My chicken was nicely moist, but I could barely taste the lemon, the reason I ordered the dish in the first place.

One of the more peasant-style choices is tagine kefta (known as meghdor in Morocco), meatballs baked in tomato sauce and garnished with fried egg. These are nice, fatty meatballs that could use a touch more cumin.

One dish I don’t like at all is tagine zaalouk, braised lamb with eggplant and tomatoes. The meat is fine, but the eggplant is unappetizingly sodden with oil.

Casbah’s grilled sea bass (not always available) is both exotic and satisfying. The fish is marinated in coriander, fennel, cumin and olive oil, baked and then served on a bed of fluffy basmati rice. On the other hand, qudban--the Moroccan version of shish kebab--is tender but disappointingly bland.

At dessert, in place of the usual baklava, there are non-Moroccan sweets: a decent tiramisu, a poached pear stuffed with almonds and cream cheese and a plate of apple and orange slices drizzled with chocolate sauce and orange flower water. The one traditional element is sweet mint tea, served piping hot in tall glass thimbles.

The waiters, dressed in traditional Moroccan garb, are eager to explain the dishes, whether you want them to or not. And if you go Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you get to experience the belly-dancing of Rana, an undulating blur who is as good at this art form as anyone I’ve ever seen.

OK, I can’t resist saying it: Come with me to the Casbah.

Casbah is expensive. Appetizers and salads are $3.75 to $13.50. Couscous is $9.95 to $14.95. Entrees are $8.95 to $19.95.

BE THERE

Casbah, 1909 E, 4th St., Long Beach. (562) 624-1930. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Sunday; closed Monday. All major cards.