Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
Parking: Street parking only.
Handicap access: Not wheelchair accessible (there's one step at the entrance, but the rest room is accessible.)
Handicap access: Not wheelchair accessible (there's one step at the entrance, but the rest room is accessible.)
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Chef Hassan Zanzoul cooks fine if familiar Mediterranean fare. But his Moroccan dishes are a rare treat; he should stick to that road.
Craig LaBan: Novita's Moroccan-born chef-owner Hassan Zanzoul came by his Italian repertoire at the source, learning to cook in Taormina, Sicily, and spending six years all told in Italian kitchens. It's pretty clear when one of his airy gnocchi melt on your tongue in a fresh plum tomato sauce.
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Cuisine type: Mediterranean; Moroccan
Meals Served:
Dinner - Mon. thru Sun.
Style:
What opened in 2009 as yet another addition to an overcrowded field of Italian BYOs has evolved to reflect more of the native Moroccan flavors of owner-chef Hassan Zanzoul. From chicken tagines to house-made merguez with charmoula, the exotic dishes add some distinction to the otherwise simple but well-cooked Mediterranean menu. Service is scattered, but a warm ambience and moderate prices make this bistro first-date-worthy.
Specialties:
Merguez appetizer; shrimp and white beans; calamari; gnocchi; softshell crab special; Moroccan salad; chicken tagine; braised short rib; merguez-shrimp entree; breaded chicken with arugula salad; duck breast with lentil special.
Alcohol:
BYOB. Bring a rustic red or a crisp, dry white to pair with the mildly spiced Mediterranean flavors.
Hours: Dinner Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m., Sunday, 9-44 to 9 p.m.
Prices:
$$
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