Gitane

When Daily Candy published the story announcing the opening of Gitane on Claude Lane, I couldn't wait to go. French with Moroccan flair and an enviable bar menu, it was an easy sell. But it took over a year of attempts at reservations to finally book an evening with Shelly and her bridesmaids. It's a pretty unassuming store front, with some tables in the lane across from Cafe Claude and a simple door. But once inside, dark, ornate wood, glossy ceilings, anise scented cocktails and low-hanging chandeliers made it luxuriously cozy.

At the bar, I ordered a fresh white sangria with cucumber, apple and pear floating in a crisp sparkling wine. Shelly and Angela ordered a bizarre concoction that was supposed to have pear notes (I think) but it honestly tasted like bacon and antiseptic. They were so expensive they had to pretend like the drinks were worth drinking....

Seeing fois gras on the menu and feeling frivolous, I started off with the "au torchon" appetizer: sliced, cold fois gras (like salted butter anywhere outside Europe) sandwiched between cakey ginger-flavored cookies. Odd? Yes. Flavor? Really, salted butter sandwiched between dry, sweet cookies. Fortunately, there was a scoop of deliciously tangy apple-mango chutney and frisee generously coated in citrus vinaigrette that I savored once I'd plucked out the fois gras. Individually, these are all very interesting, complex flavors. Together, I was overwhelmed and not impressed with any unique element.

My main was an entirely different story. I ordered the chicken tagine with prunes, carrots, turnips, zucchini and eggplant. The dish arrives in it's own ceramic tagine wafting scents like cardamom and anise. It was stunning and exotic in a syrupy gravy. When my couscous arrived, the waiter instructed me to stir it into the tagine to soak up the drippings. What a great idea! Using plain couscous to extract the best part of the dish! As if I wouldn't have been all over that without any prodding. The vegetables were impressively al dente given how long they mist have been roasting with the chicken. I've had Moroccan food a couple times previously and recall bitter green olives, sticky-sweet orange peel and prune flavors lending to remarkably flavorful meat. This was no exception and I'm tempted to search out a recipe for chicken stew with prunes. It was delish.

We chose cocktails over chocolate for dessert...on an individual basis. For the table, we couldn't resist ordering the pan con chocolate, an attempt at Laiola's masterpiece that fell just short. Mainly in presentation, though. The taste and texture was lovely.

Overall, the space and experience at Gitane is fabulous. You feel so luxuriously taken care of (thanks, guy who always knows when you're looking for the bathroom and opens the secret door!) Even low ceilings don't keep the space from feeling rich with space and history. Exposed brick and a hidden location add to its mysterious charm. I highly recommend it for a romantic spot or a hideaway downtown, I would just say go for the mains and stick to wine.