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El Wajh

The last of the Moroccans - By Hien, Jun 23, 08

Without a selection of new Southeast Asian restaurants to sample from, I decided to take my palate one continent west to North Africa. With Marrakech opening and closing, renovating, and then reopening, I didn't really know what to think. So it was a relief when I heard about a new Moroccan restaurant nearby that was most assuredly opened for business. As it turns out, El Wajh is not actually brand new -- it's just that the restaurant was formerly located in Pudong and only recently moved to greener pastures across the Huangpu.

El Wajh, the latest addition to the Face group that runs Hazara, Visage and Lan Na Thai, is a model in convenience as it is located on the formerly hedonistic Maoming Lu, which seems to be experiencing a renaissance of sorts, at least in terms of restaurants. This setting is a blessing for anyone who, like me, doesn't enjoy traveling great lengths for anything.

I would presume business is brisker on the Puxi side of the world. Even though El Wajh existed in a previous incarnation, the space is new and allowed the owners the opportunity for some innovative decorating. Unfortunately, the décor leaves much to be desired, and the interiors felt overly gimmicky, and a bit gauche.

We ducked into El Wajh hoping for a quick bite, as there were friends to meet and social lives to be lived. Unfortunately, service was slow. Humus (50rmb) as flavorful as it was, should never take more than a few minutes to arrive at the table. Like many restaurants in Shanghai, El Wajh's service was predictably inconsistent; the rest of our dishes arrived on the heels of the humus.

We ordered the Chicken Pear Tajine (118rmb) and the Poisson a la Chermoula (135rmb), sea perch pan-fried with paprika, preserved lemons, and spices. Both these dishes were well-structured and aesthetically pleasing, and delivered on taste. Even though my sampling of the menu was cursory, El Wajh offered the best rendition of Moroccan cuisine I've experienced in Shanghai, and all the dishes we tried were considerably large in portions. Perhaps going with a group would be suitably better, just to have the opportunity to try more dishes. Next time I visit El Wajh I look forward to tasting the couscous. However, I'll make sure only to go when I have a clear schedule.

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