Al Hambra Cafe

What to Order at Houston’s Newest Moroccan Restaurant, Alhambra Cafe | Eater Houston

"Since opening in the second week of April at 8383 Westheimer Road, I’ve watched chef-owner Hicham Nafaa bring a truly vibrant array of Moroccan dishes to Houston in a casual, any-day format (entrées cap at $19.99 for seafood paella, with most priced at $12.99). Open from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m., the dining room is imbued with hookah-scented Old World charms while a baker continually turns out fresh bread from a pizza oven that Nafaa describes as his own creation—somewhere between thin pita and fluffy Moroccankhobz. Nafaa’s recipes are resolutely his own, learned from his mother but adapted by him, and he plans to expand the tagine offerings beyond the current scope; some off-menu eats are already staples and many popular specialties spread via the restaurant’s Facebook page. Standout dishes include a pastilla that layers shredded chicken with egg and almond in a thick, round pie, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon to sit somewhere between dinner and dessert; a tagine that may be his magnum opus—a lamb shank braised for precisely three-and-a-half hours and served with prunes, the lamb and fruit cooked separately and the braising liquid reduced to a silken, demi-glace–like sauce you’ll want to sop up; Nafaa’s signature sausage, made only by him, with skinny lamb casing stuffed with cumin- and chile-seasoned beef, five grilled links per entrée topped with melting caramelized onions and served over a thin layer of bread that soaks up the spicy juices (sides include fries, rice, tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush and salad); a Facebook-born favorite combining meatballs with baked eggs in a Moroccan-spiced tomato sauce and a shower of fresh herbs (an unlikely but homespun take on shakshuka); four grill-kissed sardines squiggled with Sriracha over salad with a lemon segment and a sprinkle of fried noodles for crunch; and a bright chicken tagine defined by the bitterness of olives and preserved lemon with two crispy whole chicken legs in a shallow pool of braising liquid, topped with French fries (be sure to remove the lid so the fries stay crisp)." - Alice Levitt