Babouche

by Maria T.

I know Moroccan food.  I also know the difference between good and bad Moroccan food and let me tell you, this is the best Moroccan restaurant I have eaten at in NY. There are no quality moroccan places to eat in Manhattan (I've been to 3 or 4 of them) and the authentic atmosphere (moroccan style living rooms) adds to the really good moroccan food. I came here with a group and got the opportunity to try a lot of the foods,  I had braiwats (very good), lamb skewers (very good), duck confit (very good), mussels moroccaine (very good), zaluk (tasty), calamari salad (well liked, but not for me), bastilla (mmmm, very tasty and very filling), chicken tagine (highly recommended for the picky eater, great flavor), royal couscous (the only dish i would not order again, my 7 veg is better), lamb tagine (amazingly tender lamb). As for service - we were a group, the birthday girl was moroccan - we got preferrential treatment, but it looks like the waiters are responsive to everyone.I know Moroccan food.  I also know the difference between good and bad Moroccan food and let me tell you, this is the best Moroccan restaurant I have eaten at in NY. There are no quality moroccan places to eat in Manhattan (I've been to 3 or 4 of them) and the authentic atmosphere (moroccan style living rooms) adds to the really good moroccan food. I came here with a group and got the opportunity to try a lot of the foods,  I had braiwats (very good), lamb skewers (very good), duck confit (very good), mussels moroccaine (very good), zaluk (tasty), calamari salad (well liked, but not for me), bastilla (mmmm, very tasty and very filling), chicken tagine (highly recommended for the picky eater, great flavor), royal couscous (the only dish i would not order again, my 7 veg is better), lamb tagine (amazingly tender lamb). As for service - we were a group, the birthday girl was moroccan - we got preferrential treatment, but it looks like the waiters are responsive to everyone.

by Gretchen W.

Babouche is a lovely restaurant.  They really take you to a faraway land, with (I assume authentic) Moroccan light fixtures, mosaics, mirrors, and wall hangings.  There is even belly dancing on Saturday nights and the option of a hookah, for the outdoor seated customers .The menu gives many options, with dishes that can be shared with your table and those that would be for an individual.  Our table decided to share, so we could try as many yummy foods as possible.  The tagines and couscous plates are on the larger side, so we decided that three appetizers and three entree size portions would be plenty for a group of five.The Briouats had been recommended to us and were delicious!  A combination of sweet and savory, these are small puff pastry triangles, stuffed with a ground up mixture of chicken and almond topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.  You could almost eat them as dessert, but they sure made a great start to our meal.As starters, we also had the Lentil Salad and Hummus. Both were flavorful and perfectly made. The Lentil Salad was served with avocado, tomato, and onion slices, which really added a flavorful and fresh taste.For entrees, we ordered two tagines and a couscous dish.  The Tagine with Lamb Balls in a Tomato Sauce was really yummy and unique.  I was worried that the dish would be too much like meatballs with marinara sauce, but it was not at all. The tomato sauce was light and flavorful, but distinctly Moroccan and not Italian.  The Tagine with Lamb and Prunes was really yummy, with large hunks of lamb that were tender enough to cut with your fork.  Lastly, we had the Couscous Royal, which was a combination of lamb, chicken, and lamb sausage over couscous with vegetables such as carrot, turnip, zucchini, and cabbage.  Really yummy.We left feeling happy and satiated.  I don't think that I had ever had specifically Moroccan food before.  Some dishes, like hummus, I was very familiar with, but really enjoyed trying some of the Moroccan flare, like the prune served with lamb.  This restaurant really is a winner with beautiful decor and food that is fresh, well prepared, and very tasty!!  I would love to come again and would highly recommend for a great dinner or a special occasion.

by Greg H.

We hit Babouche for the second time last night and it enthralled yet again. Food is amazing, atmosphere is relaxing, and it's BYOB: for what more can you ask? I agree with other yelpers -- the service is a bit on the slow side, but never rude and always sincere. It certainly fits the decor and vibe of the joint. It's a place to go for a delicious long-term eating experience. The grilled calamari is divine. The lamb balls are succulent. The couscous is to die for (and who would ever think couscous is to die for). The dessert of Chocolate Souffle was just right in portion and sweetness. One of my eating companions thought his lamb dish was a bit underwhelming in its portion of meat -- I just slipped him one of my deliciously moist and meaty balls, so filling and plentiful was my own order, and he was silent with pleasure. Hit Sip or Red, White, Bubbly on your way and make it a night out... haaaay!

by adam y.

First of all, this place has some pretty awesome decor. From the gigantic hanging lamps, to the white decor, to the back room with private curtained booths....downstairs, which appears to be a hookah cavern. The place looks amazing.So that got me in the door.Tall Dark haired waitresses....ok I'll sit down.Food was actually really good, the moules were especially tasty.As was the wine, and they have Kronenberg, which despite being a French beer is utterly delicious. There were several large groups in there and it seems like a great place to entertain.I've been twice, and would love to go back with a large group, on the downside, hookahs are not always available, and the bar is currently only set up to serve beer and wine.

by Cathy G.

Not that I've been to Morocco (Epcot count?) or eaten much Moroccan food, but the food here was great and the atmosphere different than anything else in the Slope. We started with the lentil salad and birouets which were both excellent. My husband got the lamb tangine with a side of couscous and I got the pastilla. The tangine was tasty and the serving size was large- we could have easily shared that. The pastilla was like a large birouet- while it tasted good I was sort of meat doughnutted out. The wine list was large and reasonably priced. We'll definitely be back.Not that I've been to Morocco (Epcot count?) or eaten much Moroccan food, but the food here was great and the atmosphere different than anything else in the Slope. We started with the lentil salad and birouets which were both excellent. My husband got the lamb tangine with a side of couscous and I got the pastilla. The tangine was tasty and the serving size was large- we could have easily shared that. The pastilla was like a large birouet- while it tasted good I was sort of meat doughnutted out. The wine list was large and reasonably priced. We'll definitely be back.

by andrea c.

Love this place. One of the prettiest restaurants in Park Slope. But I am not one to be seduced by linens and paint. The food was very good. My friend had the tangine and licked the bottom clean. I (needing red meat) ordered the steak. One of the better steaks (outside of a steakhouse) I have had. Wash it all down with mint tea- fantastic.

by Preeti B.

I agree with the other posts, the service is the biggest area for improvement at Babouche.  When I visited Babouche this past January, the service was just a little slow... but nobody was rude or ill-toned.  At that time, the restaurant was BYOB which was fun.  I believe they now serve so you can't walk in with your own beverages anymore.  The decor and food speak more loudly than any service issues for me.   When I visited, a girl had about 10 people for a birthday party.  They turned up a happy birthday song and brought a cake out with sparkling candles!  The birthday girl looked like she was having a blast and then a belly dancer came out and that livened the party even more.  My recommendations to try are the warm lentil salad and the chicken kabobs!   One interesting thing I felt that this was a good place to take older visitors or even an introduction of parents.  Random I know... but it just seemed to draw that crowd and loosen people up!

by Jasmine F.

$12 for filet mignon?!?!??!!? OK, admittedly, I went in on their special steak night, but damn, Babouche knows how to give a good deal! Plus, the steak was amazingly tender and seasoned perfectly (though I would have liked a bit more of the reduction on it...soooooooo good). We also got the hummus, which was solid, but not the best I've ever had, and several of the sides: mashed potatoes (mmm...creamy and garlicy), carrots (herby and delicious), and broccoli rabe (cooked to perfection, and that's not easy!). Add to that a super cute atmosphere, friendly service, and the option for hookahs after dinner and you'd definitely have me as a repeat customer...if I didn't live 2900 miles away, that is.

by helen k.James C.Rebecca L.Asprey J.Justin P.

I loved this place.  I can't wait to go back.  The place looks a little dreary but I guess that's the whole vibe.  Low seatings, very dim light (one candle at each table), worn out tables and chairs.  The waitress was super nice and gave good suggestions on what to order.  Very attentive throughout the whole night. The chicken was cooked to perfection.  very moist and tender.  i couldn't get enough of the couscous. hummus and eggplant salad were delish!  i haven't had any that were seasoned so perfectly. I wanted to lick it off the plate.  I've tried other morrocan mint tea but theirs was far the best I had.  I need to find out where they get it next time i go.  I think this place would be a great for a party for a larger group. belly dancer came and did a performance. whatever the case, give this place a shot. it's def worth the time and money.I will give the Food 4 stars...   the rest of the experience pretty much a 2.  Service was probably a 1, actually.  Went with friends who wanted to try a lot of things, and I have to say that the food really rated.  We started with Lentil Salad, which is awesome... also the zaalouk (an eggplant dish) was good and the recommended grilled calamari salad, which was excellent.For dinner I had the Lamb Tagine and tried a chicken tagine.  The lamb was amazing!The food, however, just didn't make up for the poor and sloppy service...  I had to interrupt the bartender from texting to get a glass of wine...AND  despite what the reviews say.  It's wine only.  Not a full bar.  Don't make an online reservation, that doesn't work.  Fortunately the place wasn't busy at allTry it out if you're willing to deal with the service...Big 'ol MEH.Was waiting for a while to use a http://restaurant.com gift certificate for here, based on the mostly positive reviews on yelp.But my dinner here was less than memorable.The bread they served was totally stale.  The waitress was a bit condescending and a little too heavy on the suggesting we switch-to-other-dishes-than-the-ones-we-chose... The food itself was o.k., huge portions but that didn't make up for the quality.  The waitress also kept pushing dessert on us after we had kindly refused (we couldn't even finish our dinner portions).Won't return.Sad that my experience wasn't as good as others.I don't know why there are so many bad comments about the service at this place. From the moment we walked in, ("we" being my beautiful girlfriend and my dashing self) we were treated to primo hospitality. Right off the bat we requested a nice cozy setup by the large windows up front because somebody on here said to never sit in the back or else risk being ignored all night. So that was a score. The invigorating breeze from Brooklyn's crisp, clean night air was definitely a welcoming treat. Ok...I'm stretching with that one but it was still very nice.Our server, Kristina or Kristian or something like that, had a wonderful accent and an even sweeter disposition. She was patient and helpful and from what I noticed from scant interactions with the other servers, her coworkers were just as happy to have us there. Honestly, I have no idea why the service gets such a bad rap. Could be one or more of 3 reasons:1) We were lucky.2) The people who badmouthed the service were cranky or writing about the wrong place (like Alchemy for instance.)3) We were smart enough to sit up front.Either way, great service.The restaurant was absolutely beautiful. Whoever designed the place really has a good eye for authentic Moroccan decor. I know this from that time when I was in Morocco. The tables were small but these guys are smart enough to add a little extender-type seat/table thing to put extra items on when things get cluttered. Well-managed place.The mussels were so soft and flavorful. Try those. Seriously. And make sure you have enough bread to sop the leftover sauce.We also liked the lentil salad. Can't say I understand all this talk about the briouts(sic?) because I found them to be so-so.My entree was the fish tagine and it was very very good. Again...keep some of that bread handy.Great, great place. It's sexy, the music was at a good level and was also very sexy. However, when the bellydancer showed up, they cranked the music super high. Look out for that. Maybe make sure not to sit next to the speakers? I don't know - you're on your own with that one. Oh, and the belly dancer was really nice and in great shape. Not in love with the dessert we had. It was like giant corn flakes in a creamy sauce. We went to the Chocolate Room afterward. Not the one of 5th, the good one over on court street. I have a car, you see.Okay bye.Pretty good couscous, delicious tuna and steak. A little pricey but not too bad.

by Brigitte T.

Babouche replaces the short lived "Fresh Fields" market on 5th avenue, and has done a remarkable job of transforming the massive space into a gorgeous, fresh and cozy Moroccan themed dining room.I was impressed with the decor;  the creamy white walls, tables with white tablecloths and white chairs, accented with dark wood and brick walls, are stunning.  In the front, the dark wooden throne like hancrafted chairs and checkered tables add a nice constrast.  And the pendant moroccan chandeliers add warmth and softness.I was equally impressed with the flawless service, from the Maitre D' opening the door for us and genuinely thanking us for our visit, to the waitress who promptly corked our wine(they don't have their liquor license yet), to the impeccable timing of the experience from start to finish.The menu is a combination of French and Morrocan.  It features fairly standard items like Lentil Salad with Avocado and Red Onion - which I had, and enjoyed, but the lentils were undercooked and the salad itself rather unoriginal.  My husband had the Tomato Montrachet, a warm tomato tower stacked with goat cheese and basil, in a tomato coulis.  It was good, but it will be better this summer when tomatoes are at their peak.  Hummos, Grilled Calamari Salad with Moroccan spices, Lamb Skewers, and a Mixed Green Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette are also featured in the appetizer menu.For entrees, I had a dish I have been dreaming of for years - Chicken Pastilla:  minced chicken with chopped almonds, seasoned and wrapped inside a filo pastry dough, and dusted with a thick coating of cinnamon and icing sugar.  It was not the best I've had(the large chunks of almonds were a bit much), but certainly a respectable rendition.My better half had the Couscous Royale:  A large bowl of couscous with carrots, zucchini, braised lamb and chicken, merguez, with a steaming bowl of broth that is laddled into the final dish.  He loved it.The rest of the menu was somewhat baffling.  Cobb salad as an entree in a Moroccan French restaurant?  The desserts were uninspired French standards - Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, Tarte Tatin.  But, Babouche is still the only place where one can get a tagine in Park Slope.  So while it might not be the most authentic, it definitely fills a niche.  I get the feeling that the owners are trying to play it 'safe' and offer standard items in an appealing atmosphere.  It's working;  the place is already bustling.  Also, the owners already own two other restaurants in Manhattan, which probably explains the flawless interior and impeccable service.I'll be back another time to try some of the dishes I missed, like the Kefta Lamb Tagine.  And I'll be curious to hear what other people think of this place.