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Moroccan Magic: Argana is a Must-Try New Neighborhood Restaurant

Las Vegas Weekly reports on one of the top new restaurants in Las Vegas: a Moroccan restaurant called Argana, whose chef hails from Rabat:

Las Vegas Weekly

Argana's salad of braised Swiss chard with lemon juice and olives. Photo: Christopher DeVargas

Argana’s salad of braised Swiss chard with lemon juice and olives. Photo: Christopher DeVargas

There’s very little Moroccan food in Las Vegas, and, this being Vegas and all, if you do find some it makes sense to expect a somewhat cheesy, less food-focused experience. You know … bejeweled decor, platters of hummus and olive oil-smothered roasted vegetables, and of course, belly dancers. Seems about right.

But there’s something fresh and extraordinary hiding in the Lakes. Three months ago, Argana opened in the space once occupied by Jazzed Cafe, another warm, seductive neighborhood restaurant that left you wanting more. Argana does indeed offer an environment festooned with pillowed banquettes and colorful lantern fixtures, and yes, there are belly dancers on Friday and Saturday nights. But here, those are charming accents that serve a complementary role alongside truly beautiful, craveable food.

Argana’s cuisine is created by Christopher Hajji, a native of Morocco’s capital, Rabat, who has cooked at and owned restaurants in France, Hawaii and LA. His menu is compact, bubbling with refined takes on rustic recipes. Moroccan fare may be most easily compared with Middle Eastern or Mediterranean, but Argana’s dishes are more heavily spiced, bursting with sharp, memorable flavors—ginger, cumin, cinnamon, olives, mint, saffron, lemon…[Full Story]

 

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