Prior to relocating to Pakistan, I was woefully oblivious to the delightfully tangy Moroccan Chicken that is a staple in restaurants all over Pakistan. Not that I was living under a rock, it’s just that Moroccans themselves are woefully oblivious to Moroccan Chicken, for it is a delicacy invented by Pakistanis, for Pakistanis, and by God, it is one of the best things ever. Smitten with the spicy, zesty chicken dish, I wondered who makes the best Morrocan Chicken in Lahore. In the span of two weeks, I used the Hungerist app and went to six different restaurants and ordered the same thing each time to find out which place offered the best Moroccan Chicken in Lahore. This is what transpired.
Chaaye Khana
Chaaye Khana was where I was first introduced to the glorious Moroccan Chicken. I ordered mine with a side of mashed potatoes, but you can order fries instead if that’s what appeases you. Chaaye Khana’s version is more or less like “chicken steak” (which isn’t really a steak but let’s ignore that for now). Succulent chicken breast fillets are grilled until perfection and served with a side of taters – mashed or fried, vegetables and dinner roll. I scrapped my plate clean in record time and would absolutely be returning for seconds. The price point is also excellent.
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Cafe Aylanto
This was the most recommended spot for Moroccan Chicken in Lahore, and I have to say, sometimes public opinion is spot on. Unlike Chaaye Khana, Cafe Aylanto served their version with brown rice topped with matchstick fries. It was love at first bite. I have a few friends who like Aylanto’s Moroccan Chicken so much that they refuse to order anything else on their menu. I may just follow suit.
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Cafe Pomelo
This was a surprise find. Neither had anyone recommended Cafe Pomelo nor had I planned to have Moroccan Chicken that day. It was an indolent Sunday afternoon, tired of idling around at home my friend and I went to the mall on a whim. We’ll grab a coffee, look at some clothes and maybe pick some groceries on our way back we thought. Instead of running errands, we somehow found ourselves perched on the floral couches in Cafe Pomelo, ordering Moroccan Chicken. Cafe Pomelo’s version was almost a replica of Cafe Aylanto but for a lesser price. The rice was lightly flavored and flagrant, the sauce was perfectly balanced and the chicken succulent. Matchstick fries on top of the rice were missing, but their absence wasn’t really a big deal. Definitely a hit.
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Sweet Affairs
This was by far the most disappointing Moroccan Chicken of them all. There was far too much happening in the dish and the flavors clashed with one another. Instead of the classic grilled chicken, Sweet Affairs served Chicken Rollatini – baked chicken breast cutlets stuffed with cream cheese and spinach, rolled in panko crumbs and topped with spicy Morrocan sauce served with a side of sticky rice topped with matchstick fries. Personally, I felt like Sweet Affairs rendition was a clash of cuisines and hence failed fusion, while the rollatini is Italian, sticky rice is predominantly used in Japanese cuisine. The dish was hardly saucy and did not sit well on my palate. It was also unanimously passed on by all three of my friends who accompanied me on my quest for the best Moroccan chicken. Sweet Affairs served unquestionably my least favorite Morrocan Chicken.
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Arcadian Cafe
Although I found the Moroccan Chicken at Arcadian Cafe very unimpressionable, several people on the internet swear by it, which is what led me to this place, to begin with. The version at Arcadian has mushrooms in an otherwise overly runny sauce, served with a side of plain rice that quite frankly felt stale. Perhaps I had it on an off night. Albeit the staleness, the Moroccan Chicken at Arcadian was still much better than Sweet Affairs. Overall, however, this joint was a miss for me.
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Cafe Zouk
I am personally biased when it comes to Cafe Zouk. The joint makes me sick every single time, irrespective of what I order. The precision with which I get sick from Cafe Zouk’s food is hilariously enough as close as I will get to formulating a scientific principle. Food poisoning incoming after X hours of eating a meal. No one else seems to be affected the way I do, so I don’t think I can blame the establishment, it’s merely my biology. Word on the street, however, is that Cafe Zouk whips up a mean Morrocan Chicken. I had a solitary bite once and had to resist the urge to eat the entire plate and then risk food poisoning. It’s slightly spicier than other places, but the rice balances things out. My friend, whose plate I stole the bite from, found Cafe Zouk’s rendition of Moroccan Chicken absolutely delightful and did not get sick.
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Let me know in the comments below what restaurant serves the best Morrocan Chicken in Lahore according to you and if we missed out, we’ll go check out the place. If you’ve tried Morrocan Chicken from any of the places I ventured out to, I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave restaurant reviews on our Hungerist app too!
