Babouch Moroccan Restaurant



Three decades ago, Kamal Keroles decided to make his restaurant,

Babouch, a unique destination for traditional Moroccan cuisine served in an

evocative setting. Located in San Pedro, California, Babouch remains a popular

choice for large parties, as well as more intimate special occasions. Nothing about

the plain façade suggests the delights that await diners inside. Mr. Keroles uses the

element of surprise to seduce first-time diners into feeling that entering Babouch

Moroccan Restaurant brings them into a different time and place. Unlike the

restaurant’s bland exterior, the interior of Babouch looks like a sultan’s palace of

opulent tapestries, pillows, and rugs in a riot of rich colors and patterns framed by

Moorish arches. Low upholstered sofas with plush pillows skim the floor and invite

diners to relax and luxuriate. Music and belly dancers entertain diners throughout

the evening at Babouch Restaurant. Those curious about what the future holds can

have one of the dancers give them a complimentary tarot card reading. Tableside

basin service to cleanse hands before and after eating is Babouch Restaurant’s way

to encourage diners to eat Moroccan-style, using the fingers or small pieces of bread

to pick up bites of food. Ever the hospitable host, Mr. Keroles shows attention to

every comfort, and waiters will provide utensils to diners who do not wish to eat

with their hands. Soft drinks and a selection of wines are available by the glass at

Babouch, and the restaurant’s bar offers some signature cocktails, as well as arak, a

highly alcoholic, aniseed-flavored spirit similar to Greek ouzo or Italian sambuca. On

the Babouch Restaurant menu, meat-lovers will be satisfied by the chicken, pork,

lamb, beef, and rabbit entrees, either grilled on skewers or stewed with dried fruits,

nuts, and seeds. Plenty of meat-free options also exist at Babouch Restaurant,

including vegetarian versions of such Mediterranean favorites as bastilla and

couscous, hummus, dolma, and spanakopita, as well as salads of marinated eggplant,

carrot, and tomato. Chabakia, honey-soaked sesame biscuits, paired with fragrant

and refreshing mint tea, finish the meal. Babouch Restaurant, a melting pot of Middle

Eastern and North African sights, sounds, scents, and tastes, expresses the essence of

Morocco. Mr. Keroles delivers a truly transformative dining experience for which

Babouch has won awards. For a magic carpet ride to Moroccan memories, spend an

exotic evening at Babouch Moroccan Restaurant, 810 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro,

California, 90731. Visit www.babouchrestaurant.com for more information.