Cafe Mogador: 101 St. Marks Place. NY NY.

 I met a date here for dinner last night and despite a packed house, a line of people outside waiting, and being told we'd have a 25 minute wait, we were pleasantly surprised to be seated at an outdoor table in the 'perfect' corner spot within about 5 minutes.
I'd never had Moroccan food before, but as soon as I started perusing the menu I realized it's really quite similar to Mediterranean or Middle Eastern, which I am very familiar with.
We started with the hummus appetizer, which was fantastic. The olive oil on top was silky and very high quality, and the texture of the hummus was just right, not too gravely, not too smooth, and extremely rich and creamy. The fresh, hot pita bread was the perfect scooper for it and we polished it off quickly.
I was feeling pretty full already and was glad that I ordered a relatively light dish compared to the heavy meats and grains that the menu consisted mostly of. I was very impressed with my delicious salmon (although it was supposed to be medium rare and was definitely closer to well-done). It had a crispy crust and sat on a bed of beets and crunchy turnips (or maybe parsnips) that added a nice textural element to the fish. The cous cous, which is normally not my favorite grain, was actually really enjoyable, especially with the flavors of the salmon's sauce mixed in. A taste of my date's lamb was awesome and extremely tender, and I could see why it's one of his favorite dishes at a favorite place.
Next time I am asked if I've ever had Moroccan food I won't have to say no!