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Paloma Blanca, Marokkaanse Restaurant, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Paloma Blanca, Marokkaanse Restaurant, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jan Pieter Heyestraat 145 1054 MG Amsterdam

020 6126485

This area of Amsterdam corresponds approximately to Green Lanes in London, and there's a high proportion of Turkish and Arabic food. Despite the Italian name, Paloma Blanca is Moroccan. We both chose a tagine: L had fish, potatoes, green and red peppers; I had lamb, roast almonds and prunes. The owner warned us it would take 30 minutes and brought bread, olives and fish paste to keep us entertained while we waited. With a bottle of Tunisian Syrah as well, the 30 minutes passed swiftly, and our food arrived when promised and piping hot. So hot in fact that we couldn't actually eat anything for a few minutes, so we sat back happily and just inhaled.

It was fabulous. The lamb had been cooked long and slow, there was cinnamon in there, garlic of course, and dozens of roasted almonds. The prunes were a dark, sticky wonderfulness. L's fish tagine, was lighter, with greener flavours and coriander, and we each got a perfect mound of cous cous.

At the risk of boring everyone, I'd like to repeat that the best meals are at restaurants where Le Patron is on the premises, making sure all is going well. Although it was two months ago, I can still remember it - this was one of the finest meals we've had this year. Not grand, not expensive, worth a detour. June 2006 DM


www.palomablanca.nl