I am so grateful that I got to spend Thanksgiving trying some delicious Moroccan food.
The third Thursday in November is associated with a lot of things: family, food, football, parades, and more food. This year, November 22nd was filled with couscous, chicken and tea. I spent the food-filled holiday in Granada, Spain, and while I thought I might miss the wishbone and stuffing, I was utterly satisfied with my Moroccan Thanksgiving. We dined at Restaurante Arrayanes, a Moroccan restaurant in the Albayzin neighborhood of Granada.
Before the meal, I had been feeling homesick and the mood in our usually peppy group was frightfully low. However, once we arrived at the restaurant, we saw how happy the owner, Mustafá Bougrine, was to see us. He greeted each of us with a high five and his energy was contagious. Throughout the meal he told us riddles and the keys to staying young. He swore that his youth is tied to his mission to do well unto others. Mustafa kept us entertained while the chefs downstairs prepared our meals.
For our Thanksgiving feast, we had a choice of four menus. I chose menu three and loved every course. For the first course we had Moroccan soup with vegetables and lentils. It was the perfect starter that warmed me up. It reminded me of minestrone soup with more broth and without pasta. For the second dish, we were served chicken and couscous. The dish came on a big platter that was placed in the center of our table, just like the turkey at Thanksgiving! The chicken was cooked to perfection and the couscous had almonds, raisins and caramelized onions on it. I went back for seconds and thirds (mostly because it was so delicious but I also felt I had to maintain some of my American holiday customs.) One of my friends even created some turkey artwork out of the leftover couscous. For dessert, we had Moroccan mint tea and an almond packed dessert that was similar to baklava. The tea was poured by our waiter who attempted to move farther and farther away from the glass with each pour. (We also tried this trick. It led to the demise of the tablecloths!) We also were given house lemonade with our dinner that tasted kind of like a mojito without the liquor. Everyone was full beyond capacity at the end of the meal, like the ending of any good Thanksgiving meal. Instead of a Turkey Trot or Turkey Bowl, we worked off our meal with a trek up to the Mirador San Nicolas for a great view of the Alhambra and Granada at night.
While my Thanksgiving was untraditional, I will never forget my first holiday outside of the United States. I am so grateful that I got to spend it trying some delicious Moroccan food. If ever you find yourself spending a holiday in Granada (or really any day of the year), I highly recommend a visit to Restaurante Arrayanes at Cuesta Marañas, four.
