It continues to be a source of slight confusion to me that Café Casablanca is, as far as I’m aware, Edinburgh’s only Moroccan restaurant. It was with considerable pleasure, then, that I heard about City of Avalon, a few months ago, when they did their first pop-up evening at Freeman’s. I wasn’t able to make it along, but I heard very good things about their take on Moroccan cuisine.
Stall
I was delighted to hear on Twitter that they were making a festive appearance at the Castle Street market, which can sometimes be a bit hit and miss, but seems to be on an upward curve, at the moment.
Their menu showcased three options: venison and lamb koftes; pulled chicken; and falafel. I opted for the venison and lamb koftes, as they looked delicious as they cooked on the grill.
Menu board
Two good sized pieces were wrapped in a flatbread, then good crunchy salad and garlic and chilli sauces were added, to make a dish that looked like it would chase away hunger with considerable alacrity.
Often with street food options, what you get is something akin to a snack, but this was firmly a meal sized portion (£5.50). It looked like a potentially messy eat, so I sat on a nearby perching post, to attempt to minimise tie damage.
Kofte
It proved to be a deliciously satisfying lunch, with the koftes managing the neat trick of being both lean and moist, which can be a hard thing to pull off. The spicing was warm and comforting, and the sauces brought things together very well. Despite my messiness fears, I managed to wolf it down without wasting a drop.
So overall, City of Avalon’s fare was very good indeed. They’ll be serving at Castle Street until Monday 23rd, so do take the opportunity to pop along, over the next few days.
