The traditional Moroccan food served at Doukan takes its inspiration from an important place – the home. You might be tucking into a tagine on a residential street in Wandsworth Town but the cooking at Doukan has more in common with Casablanca than Clapham.

The Venue
Mothers are often the bedrock of a self-respecting foodie’s CV, and the owner of Doukan gives his mum credit for igniting his love of good food. To complement the food he’s also given the restaurant a convincing feel by importing many things from his homeland, including thick-set wooden tables engraved with subtle but complex carvings, red and green leather backed chairs, ornate cylindrical light features and plates with intricate mosaic patterns. In fact, the filigree style pattern on the plates is embossed on much of the furniture and fittings.

The smell of cinnamon spice and perfumed incense fills the air but not everything is so Moroccan – there’s a barn conversion feel to the bottom part of the split-level room, where the exposed wooden beams and an open fireplace seem incongruous to the rest of the design but, on colder days, the warm glow of the fire is a very welcome one.

The Atmosphere
A mixture of couples and larger groups of friends make up the diners. On Fridays a female jazz singer and her band play a mixture of old standards – think Girl from Ipanema – and more up-to-date tracks from the likes of Norah Jones. The music sits firmly in the background and fits well with the easy-going nature of the restaurant.

The Food
If you are unfamiliar with Moroccan food, there are a handful of elements that will keep popping up: cinnamon, almond, couscous and cumin. This means that a number of dishes across the menu have a similar scent and flavour, whether it’s because of a sweet spice or the essence of nutty almond. Stand-out dishes from the starter menu include the danjal wal falfal, a juicy aubergine-based dish, served cold, with plenty of garlic and spice; it’s particularly enjoyable when you eat it with the warm flat bread.

The bastilla fassilla (£4.95) is another one that gets the thumbs up – small bits of diced chicken are mixed with almond flakes and cinnamon, served in a filo pastry coating. The halumi maquli (£4.95) provokes the right response too – the quality and freshness of the cheese is evident and contrasts nicely with the intense zing of the fig jam. One of the dishes that doesn’t go down so well is the matish maasia. This has a paste-like consistency and a vivid colour to match the patriotic red chairs. Caramelised tomatoes and cinnamon may sound like a good match but the jam-like texture and the overpowering flavour of cinnamon turns this into something that’s more of an acquired taste.

Onto mains and couscous is everywhere you look. Practically every dish is served with the fluffy semolina staple but an option of rice would be much appreciated. There are, naturally, tagines on offer and there’s the obligatory spicy lamb sausage. The likes of chickpea stews or big plates of aubergine give diners some veggie options. The lamb and coriander tagine comes piping hot in a domed porcelain tagine. The dish resembles a cross between a soup and a stew with tender cuts of lamb floating in a broth-like sauce that’s mottled with the green leafs of fresh coriander. This is a hearty, comforting bowl with plenty of depth in flavour but it doesn’t quite have what it takes to be a truly stunning dish.

Alternatively, the merguese diali (£13), a spicy sausage served with couscous and salad has a beautiful lingering flavour but without any sauce it ends up being overly dry. Finally, a tabsill denjal (£10.50) is a gigantic serving that contains huge wedges of oily aubergine topped with caramelised halloumi cheese. A coulis of red peppers and tomato sauce gives the dish extra oomph, and this is a very satisfying option.

Desserts include a small plate of sticky pastries. One tastes of figs, another of almonds and you may also find a whole baked apple encrusted in pastry, or a chocolate and cream cake. They’re not going to win any prizes but they serve a purpose. Generally speaking, the portion sizes are absolutely huge and, unless you have the appetite of an elephant, they may end up defeating you. The main course portions, in particular, would benefit from a slight reduction in size, allowing a small saving for the customer on the cost of the dish.

The Drink
A late bar, open until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, is good news for thirsty locals. Cocktails, beers, coffees are popular but, for the perfect match with dinner, pick out a nice bottle from their selection. Morocco may not be widely known for its wine but the Domaine Sahari (£19.99) from the Guerronne region is an absolute cracker. With its deep, powerful flavour it can easily give the leading wine-making nations a run for their money.

The Last Word
A welcome addition to the area, Doukan has lots to offer in terms of its Moroccan food, laid back vibe and generous nature.

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