Located just meters from the craziness that is South Street, Fez truly is an authentic Moroccan eatery. From the wall to wall, ceiling to floor tapestries, to the waiters' traditional Moroccan garb, stepping into Fez, it seems as if you have reached an oasis in the middle of the Sahara Desert -- not a hole in the wall blocks away from the Real World house.
After the waiter washed our hands by dumping water from a teapot on us (my fears of an intense scalding were quickly proven irrational), our hands were gently dried by the waiter's impressive toweling skills. Following this pre-dinner cleansing ritual, we were treated to the first course of our eight-course, fixed-price meal, known on the Moroccan dining circuit as the Fez Feast.
We were introduced to a lentil soup that was brilliant in texture and flavor. Following the soup, we were brought foccacia-like bread that was to be dipped in three finely diced adjoining salads: a carrot salad, an eggplant salad and a cucumber based mixed salad, all served in oil. Upon completion of this course, traditional Moroccan bastilla was served to us. Bastilla is chicken, eggs and crushed almonds encased in a pastry, topped with powdered sugar.
Our next course was a whole roasted chicken. Knowing that utensils are only available upon request, tackling a chicken with one's bare hands seemed at first to be a daunting task. However, upon gently tugging at the chicken, the tender poultry slid right off the bones and promptly down our throats.
Suddenly, the low-key background music erupted in volume and picked up speed as I was finishing off a wing. Then, from out of nowhere, there appeared a bona fide belly dancer in native Moroccan dress. Though my companion and I feared experiencing the severe embarrassment that can come from belly dancing as a novice, many Fezzers, both young and old, were willing to say "Fuck it," and happily made complete fools of themselves in front of their loved ones and other patrons.
Smokers rejoice, as Fez can accommodate your interests, if you put down the ciggies and expand your carcinogen horizons for some hookah. On the AA side of things, Fez serves reasonably priced wines from Morocco and around the world, many domestic and imported brews, cocktails and aperitifs.
