November 2011

Finding Fez

By Diane Hudson

Abraham Lembara is co-owner and chef at Fez on Washington Avenue. Born in Morocco, he spent 2.5 years at the Miami Culinary Institute before becoming executive chef at Miami’s Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. He specialized in fresh pasta in St. Albans, Vermont, en route to Portland, where his wife works as an immigration agent. His restaurant and shop partner, Hinda Hassan, is originally from Somalia and has lived here for 15 years.

Fez specializes in Middle Eastern cuisine. An adjoining market sells spices, groceries, and treats. The halal lamb is particularly popular in this strongly North African neighborhood.

Fez offers a striking array of appetizers, beginning with the sautéed shrimp dish Kimroun Sharmoula ($6.95). The Moroccan touch sparkles here, with a light garlic-tomato sauce enhancing the sweet shrimp flavors, keeping each morsel moist and delectable.

Zaalouk ($5.95) charms my dining partner. The bite-sized pieces of eggplant sautéed in a garlic herb sauce resonate with the art of cooking simply, and the hearty serving begs to be scooped up by the homemade pita bread.

I simply have to have the Lubia ($6.99). These small white beans, slow-cooked in red onion and arrabbiata sauce, are little concerts of texture and delicate seasonings.

Attention falafel fans: Hinda’s version ($6.25)–moist patties served on a bed of fresh greens, ripe flavorful tomatoes, and tahini sauce–is an excellent treat.

For entrees, savor the Lamb Tagine ($11.95). Fork-tender, the meat is slowly roasted in saffron and served in its own juices. You’ll love small whole “dolphin” potatoes suffused with the dense flavor of the meat. This is great winter fare.

The Tilapia Casablanca ($9.95) is sautéed in a lemon butter sauce and finished with a rich homemade salsa. This fresh filet echoes the wild-like flavor of catfish I’ve enjoyed in the South. Abraham treats the emerging staple better than I‘ve ever experienced on the East Coast.

The Chicken Tagine ($10.95), a half chicken slow-cooked in lemon onion sauce, sports a number of green olives and fine juices to enhance the rice.

Hilib Ari ($10.95) also beckons, served with goat on the bone, slow-cooked with onion, cilantro, and herbs. The Beef Barkook ($11.95), roasted in a Moroccan demi-glaze, is topped with prunes and sesame seeds.

For dessert, there’s the Moroccan equivalent of baklava, briwat ($4.95), and the ever-enticing Crêpes Mogador ($6.25)–handmade with mascarpone cheese and thinly sliced apples cooked in cinnamon butter, drizzled with caramel, and topped with whipped cream–a resounding yes.

There’s so much to explore here, from Abraham’s scholarly collection of bibles (including two of the earliest King James versions–he studied at the Moody Institute in Chicago) to a menu with endless opportunities for a culinary discovery.

Fez Mediterranean Cuisine
30 Washington Ave., Portland
Mon-Sun, 11-10 p.m., 773-1008