880 South
Doukkala
CLOSED 4905 Telegraph Ave./51st St., Temescal neighborhood, (510) 653-8691. D Tu-Sun; $$.
Serving Moroccan-inspired California cuisine, this soft-edged spot features two rows of posh cushioned banquettes lining either side wall and a golden silk fabric-draped ceiling. Large bay windows look out to the sidewalk, where there is additional seating. My favorite items at Doukkala were a really good full-flavored harira soup made with fresh tomatoes, a crispy sweet pastilla stuffed with quail, and a trio of mildly spiced Moroccan salads that included roasted eggplant and fava beans, tomatoes and peppers, and carrots and cucumbers. Scallops topped with California sturgeon black caviar made crunchy by heat exposure and a very delicate asparagus-Dungeness crab dish were also very good. Though I loved the presentation in the namesake coned pot, I was disappointed by the vegetable tagine which was like soupy stew and not very flavorful (it also forms the base for the lamb and duck tagines). The smooth red sangria, spiked with an assortment of Moroccan spices, was a delicious enhancement.
Serving Moroccan-inspired California cuisine, this soft-edged spot features two rows of posh cushioned banquettes lining either side wall and a golden silk fabric-draped ceiling. Large bay windows look out to the sidewalk, where there is additional seating. My favorite items at Doukkala were a really good full-flavored harira soup made with fresh tomatoes, a crispy sweet pastilla stuffed with quail, and a trio of mildly spiced Moroccan salads that included roasted eggplant and fava beans, tomatoes and peppers, and carrots and cucumbers. Scallops topped with California sturgeon black caviar made crunchy by heat exposure and a very delicate asparagus-Dungeness crab dish were also very good. Though I loved the presentation in the namesake coned pot, I was disappointed by the vegetable tagine which was like soupy stew and not very flavorful (it also forms the base for the lamb and duck tagines). The smooth red sangria, spiked with an assortment of Moroccan spices, was a delicious enhancement.
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| salad trio at Doukkala restaurant in Oakland, California |
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| baklava at Doukkala in Oakland, California |
Very rich baklava stuffed with a hazelnut-walnut-almond-pistachio mix and served with perfect Moroccan mint tea made the perfect ending. This restaurant is named after a region in Morocco known for its agricultural fertility and coastal fishing towns. It is located on a block crammed with an assortment of restaurants and one tattoo parlor, and so is lively in the evening.
Way more things to do in Oakland.
More ideas for exploring Northern California.
images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
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