Moroccan Mystique

Southernoise and I went yesterday to a media party hosted by Hill & Knowlton, a prominent public relations agency in Singapore. They converted the second floor of Theatreworks into a dreamy, plush Moroccan-themed setting. Exotic costumes, henna tattoos, belly dancers, fire-eaters, a beer-sculling competition and live band added to the pulse and excitement of the evening. But the highlight of it all, to my delight, was the food. Excellent Middle-Eastern fare, provided by Zac Cafe. The selection was small but very satisfying. Pardon the quality of photos as it was very dim. 


Grilling was done in the open air. The chef is carving meat off the doner kebab vertical spit, to be filled into pita bread pockets on the side. I love the aroma of caramelised grilled meat.


The resulting chicken shawarma in pita bread tastes so good! Filled generously with grilled chicken, mixed vegetables and a special tahini sauce. This beats any burger any day! I nearly wished I could take home some with me!


The kebabs were gorgeous. Huge chunks of meat marinated with Middle Eastern spices, skewered and freshly char-grilled. Four types available - lamb, fish, chicken and vegetarian. I only tried lamb and fish. Both very good but the lamb was superior.


So delicious we had to have a second helping. How do they make char-grilled lamb so tender, flavoursome and juicy?


Nice fat samosas packed with seasoned minced lamb.


I wonder if Keropokman (who loves salads) would have liked this - he wasn't able to come due to another meeting. Despite its appearance, the fattoush salad was a bit strong-tasting. The abundance of parsley gave it a bitter tinge. But once paired with a bit of grilled chicken, it was more than palatable. 


There was lots of pita bread, baba ghanouj and hummus dips to go with everything. And for dessert - baklawa or baklava. Multi-layer phyllo pastry stuffed meatily with chopped pistachios and drizzled with honey. One of the better ones I've had but still way too sweet for my liking. I was grateful for fresh fruits on the side.

Thanks to Hill & Knowlton for a lovely party, truly a feast for the senses! Now if the food is this good, I must check out the eatery itself. Zac Cafe is owned by halal meat supplier Zac Meat. I hope this means they get quality, fresh produce. Meat lovers, take note - they have an all-you-can-eat dinner on the first Saturday of each month!

Catering by
ZAC CAFE (restaurant arm of Zac Meat, click on "What's New" to see info on Zac Cafe)
17 Jalan Pinang (you can see it along Victoria Street)
Tel: 6295-1816
Open Mon-Sat; 11am-11pm