A slice of Morocco is set to open in York this weekend.
The Marrakesh at 8 Low Ousegate is aiming to bring an authentic taste of Morocco to York. After a year of work transforming the building, it’s now ready to open its doors.
The restaurant will hold an opening party for invited guests tomorrow (Friday), before opening to the public on Saturday (14 September).
The Grade II listed building, which dates back to around 1810, was previously home to Bell’s Of York Café. It has undergone a huge transformation, and features stunning decor and furniture brought over from Morocco.
YorkMix spoke with owner Wael Garas to find out more about the new restaurant.
“We wanted to do proper Morocco food here, as well as the design and everything,” explained Wael.
“We’ve worked very hard on the design and testing the food, and we hope to see our customers come in and really enjoy it.”
Originally from Egypt, Wael has lived in York for nearly 20 years. He is also the director of Italian restaurant Enoteca on Bridge Street and the Middle Feast Shawarma takeaway on Lendal.
He has plans to open a tearoom cafe also on Low Ousegate, which will serve up posh breakfasts and lunches, as well as afternoon teas.
“I like doing something different from York,” he said. “Something where people can come to try, relax and enjoy good food.
“I like it when people, when they come in, say that’s something they’ve not seen before. Now it’s just waiting for customers to come in and see what they think about it.”
Moroccan chef
The menu has been curated and crafted by an in-house chef from Morocco.
It features classic favourites such as Lamb Tajine (£22.95), slow cooked lamb shoulder with sweet prunes and almonds. There is also prawn, chicken, vegetable and fish tajine on offer.
Other delicious dishes on the menu include Harira Marrakeshiya (£7.25), a soup with tomatoes, chickpeas and lentils, a Traditional Mezze (£18.95) with zaalouk, hummus, kofta briouat, and chicken liver, and couscous dishes such as Chicken and Vegetable Couscous (£20.95) and Couscous Royal (£23.95).
The building has undergone a huge transformation, and was previously damaged and in disarray.
“We had a little bit of hassle with the Council,” said Wael. “When we bought the building there were hundreds of pigeons upstairs, and the floor and the wood was damaged. We had to do everything.”
From the start of the project until now, nearly £500,000 has been invested in the restaurant.
The Marrakesh has created between 50-60 jobs and has 95 covers.
“We have a really good team here to work with me.”
The restaurant currently operates over two floors, with the aim to open a third floor at a later date if the demand is there. The third floor would also host events like conferences and parties.
From Saturday, The Marrakesh will be open every day from 12pm to 11pm. To find out more and to make a reservation, visit their website here.
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