Food

Also tasty

http://chezmax.ie/

this looks great, thanks!

Also enjoyed the Winding Stair. It's pretty small so I'd book if you're going there.

I liked this place too.
http://www.thepigsear.ie

Cheers, booked it now.

That place also looks great, I'll book that too.

we're off to marrakesh in a week for a few days. any pro tips? what to avoid as much as what not to miss, and not just restaurants.

Don't drink orange juice with ice in it from the big market square place.

Unless you enjoy shitting piss through the eye of a needle, in which case fill your boots (with alarming regularity).

noted.

i had my fill of filling my boots with explosive anal slurry in the army, and it's never fun.

There is a place called the Amal center where you learn to cook a tagine (then eat it) and the money goes to helping disadvantaged women in Marrakech. I really enjoyed that.

pepe nero and chez nomad were good restaurants

Email sent to Amal center. capital idea!

Love Marrakesh.

Avoid any people with monkeys\snakes (hope this is obvious...)
If any teens offer to direct you to anywhere, they will expect paying (and half the time will direct you to a family shop)
We did a couple of day trips out, first to Essaouira (lovely seaside town, good fish), and one to the Atlas mountains, nice walking tour, and got to eat in an amazing restaurant up the side of the mountains.

The Maison de la Photographie was worth a look a few years back, hopefully still so. It has a magnificently chilled roof terrace with decent grub so worth going late morning and grabbing lunch there. It's quite easy to miss and surrounded by kids who'll try and show you where it is for an inflated fee but google maps will be your friend in that situation.

http://maisondelaphotographie.ma

Nomad is deffo worth a visit.

top tips chaps!

so long as dont have to ride a fucking camel or go in a hot air balloon.

Could anyone give any restaurant recommendations for Sunday evening? Four people, mother's day, not too expensive (max £15 mains). Would like it to be 'healthy' if possible (she's type 2 diabetic) so not a steak house or curry, but also not mung beans and coriander

There's a place by one of the entrances to the Souk that slow cooks lamb (24 hours) in clay pots in an underground oven. You just buy by the kilo and eat it with bread and cumin salt. Beyond delicious. Think it's this place...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g293734-d3185354-r330669853-Mechoui_Alley-Marrakech_Marrakech_Tensift_El_Haouz_Region.html

i think it might have been on one of those terrible white people abroad travelfood shows on the telly the other night. it's on the list!

Didn't see any (other) horrible white people the 4 times I've made a pig of myself there but not ruling it out. Definitely go hungry!

Whereabouts?

what's the deal with language in that part of the world? do the locals have the good grace and foresight to commune in the Queen's English or am i going to have to speak slowly and loudly in order to be understood?

Slowly and loudly if in doubt, obviously, but English gets by most places, attempting a bit of French really helps get good vibes from locals...

Cant remember the name of it but there is an amazing restaurant run by a female collective, had great food there.

Also tangia (not tagine) in the main square.

If you want to buy amloo (aka Berber nutella) or argan oil dont do it on a tourist trip to the atlas mountains. These are fun informative excursions but wait to make your purchases in a supermarket and everything comes without the tourist mark up. So get out of the old quarter and into Marrakech proper for buying foods and spices.

mercy buckets!

yup we're off to a cooking class there next thursday. mrs hell loves that manner of thing.

she also has designs on buying a rug. not sure how that's going to pan out.

strong call on the supermarket action.

Enjoy. The leg of lamb there is amazing as is their pastilla

There are loads of upmarket supermarkets near the women’s restaurant, so loads of biologique (or whatever the French is for organic) produce.

We felt so welcomed wherever we went and yes bought two of the marriage blankets as they were beautiful. Again with them look at what prices are like in the UK so you can ensure if you are buying a rug and shipping is included is it actually a sensible price.

Mary Berry is a national treasure!