Sizzling Sidewalk Grills

Sizzling Sidewalk Grills

Marrakshis have perfected the art of cooked street food, traditionally the province of the working class. There are hundreds of sidewalk grills scattered throughout both the medina and Guéliz. Step up for a tasty, satisfying meal at one of these institutions; it's a priceless experience that costs next to nothing. From midday to midnight, choose from grilled minced beef, sausage, lamb chops, brochettes, Moroccan salads, and french fries, supplemented by bread, olives, and hot sauce. No credit cards, clearly.

Djemâa el Fna

For the ultimate grilling experience, there's only one place (although some cautious travelers save their sensitive stomachs until their last night). By dusk, more than a hundred stalls sizzle and smoke their way through mountains of fresh meat and vegetables. Step up to the stall of your choice and order from the wild array of perfectly done veggies, salads, kefta (beef patties), merguez sausages, beef brochettes, couscous, and even french fries. In cooler months or during Ramadan, try a bowl of hearty harira (chickpea, lentil, and meat soup) soup or country eggs in homemade bread. The meal starts with free bread (to weigh down your paper place setting) and a hot dipping sauce called harissa. The mint tea at the end should be free, too.

There's little continuity of quality, even at the same stall, so it's potluck and instinct all the way for each sitting. Vendors will do anything to attract your attention, from dragging you to a seat, chasing you down the lanes, and best of all, performing the occasional comic rundown of classic English phrases ("it's bloody marvelous") with matching cockney accent. If you're feeling super-adventurous, try one of the outer stalls selling local standards: steamed snails served in porcelain bowls, and delicacies such as sheep's head and brains.

Tips:

Everything is fresh, as vendors give leftovers to the poor every night. Watch the Moroccans: they know what to order, and they really get into their food.

If there's a strong wind, avoid sitting in the path of billowing smoke. Don't be afraid of using other diners as windbreakers if there's a chill in the air.

Other Medina Grills

Restaurant Bab Fteuh. The much-loved and best grill in town is a total meat feast, serving up heart, liver, kidney, merguez, and mincemeat, for 24 DH a portion. It's tiny, but good. On small derb linking Djemâa el Fna with Bab Fteuh, north of Café Argana on the right. No phone

Kasbah. If you're feeling bold, step up to this down-and-dirty smoky den, a couple of doors south of the more upscale Nid Cigogne café (you'll recognize it as the smokiest in the area). It's usually buzzing with Marrakshis, who may fall over flat at the prospect of a tourist turning up without so much as a flicker of the eye. You'll pay 10 DH for a mince sandwich. So long as it's cooked through, it's good to go. Rue de la Kasbah. No phone

Bar L'Escale. This modest city-center bar isn't easily spotted, but is rather rowdy. The smoky grill room in back serves the best grilled chicken in Marrakesh. Wash your meal down with a local wine or beer. Rue Mauritania (off Mohammed V at Derby Shoes), Guéliz. No phone. Closed Sun.

Haj Brik. In a row of grill cafés on a narrow side street running south off Djemâa el Fna, Haj Brik is one of the best. Everything is prepared so well that it has has been in business longer than most. The menu focuses on grilled lamb chops, merguez sausages, kefta, and kidneys, each served with bread, olives, tomato salad, and hot sauce. Everything cooks on an indoor grill at the front of the shop, sending billowing smoke and smells over the diners. 39, rue Bani Marine, through arch just left of post office in Djemâa el Fna. No phone

Restaurant El Bahja (Chez Ahmed). This small, tiled medina café next door to Marrakesh institution Haj Brik, is just as popular and has almost the same food at the same prices. You can also get beef and chicken tagines and loubia (bean stew) in addition to standard grill fare. 41, rue Bani Marine. 024/44-03-43

-Katrina Manson & James Knight