Restaurant: Kiotori | Cuisine: Japanese/Asian |
67 Mahaj Riad, Hay Riad Rabat, | +212 (0)37 57 03 57 / +212 (0)37 57 04 57 |
Seating: Large, both outdoor and indoor | Non-smoking section: No |
Cost: 150-200dh (drink appetizer and entrée) | Alcohol: No |
Chemkara’s review grade: | 3*** La-bas |
LaSauvage’s review grade: | 2** Shwiyyah |
Friday, February 24, 2012:
We were in Hay Riad today and LaSauvage and I are “dieting” so we decided to have sushi. Sushi Box (at Mahaj Riad) is by far the best sushi in Hay Riad (try the salmon tartare!). But our friend, Boots, was joining us and bringing Baby Bear (2 months old). So we need a place with seating spacious enough for Baby Bear’s pram as well as a place that wasn’t smoky. And that’s how we ended up on the terrace at Kiotori.
Kiotori (at Mega Mall) was the first sushi I ever ate in Morocco and it was almost the last. Back in 2006, I ordered the rainbow roll and a tuna roll. Apparently, they ran out of fresh tuna so they substituted with canned tuna. Canned tuna. I kid you not. And they expected me to pay for it.
I did not pay for it. It was a scandal.
Since TheSavage and I have been friends for so long now, we always tell the same stories. Like the canned tuna story. The other story we always tell about Kiotori starts like this:
One of us says, “Remember Hiroto?” And then we laugh.
Hiroto was a Japanese student studying Arabic in Rabat. On a lark, a bunch of Americans thought it would be entertaining to take Hiroto to Kiotori Mega Mall and see what he thought of the sushi. Savage was there too. Actually, there were probably a dozen or so people there that day, watching poor Hiroto as he literally threw up in his mouth.
Good times.
Anyway, sushi in Morocco is not really for the connoisseur, sushi in Morocco is for the desperate. When that wasabi craving hits you and you haven’t seen a roe in 8 months…Moroccan sushi might just hit the spot. And then once you get used to it. Once Matsuri (in Souissi) becomes your sushi gold standard. Places like Kiotori aren’t bad at all.
So we were walking up to Kiotori yesterday, which was also happened to be a spectacularly gorgeous day, and I was just about to say, “Remember Hiroto?” with a smirk already on my face. But I caught sight of the Kiotori terrace and instead I said, “Rememb--Oh look! They refaired it.”
“Refaired?” La Sauvage said. “Is that a word in English?”
LaSauvage likes to double check these things, since she’s a frenchy and English is her third language. English is my first and only. And now I can’t even speak English because it’s been so bastardized by French and Moroccan dialect and the pigeon grammar I use to make myself understood. So I tell her I did it on purpose, for fun. Like when we talk about incarnated (ingrown) toenails. But really I’m lying. Some part of my brain has actually decided refaired is a word. This is alarming.
I digress.
Kiotori did a great job with the renovation of their terrace. L’ambiance was quite relaxing and Asian inspired without being black. It was gray instead. The sofas were really comfy, and as soon as I sat down my first thought was I could easily stay there for hours (which I fully planned to do). My second thought was to wonder whether they had wifi. But then Boots and Bear arrived, so I forgot to check. Bad reviewer.
Speaking of renovations we realized about midway through our meal that Kiotori has added a conveyer belt for sushi go round inside. I wonder if people are allowed to blow smoke on it like at Matsuri.
Kiotori Review: The Food
 |
| Salmon Ceviche |
I ordered the ceviche salmon and miso soup as an appetizer. The miso soup was really good. And I wasn't at all grumpy about the 20dh pricetag. They were generous with the tofu and seaweed and it was very flavorful. Not at all like that dishwater they call miso soup at Yoko Sushi. Kiotori definitely has the miso soup under control.
The ceviche, on the other hand, wasn't my style and isn't something I would order again. It had no cilantro and was heavy on the lemon juice (no lime). It didn't really taste at all like ceviche. It didn't taste Asian either. There was too much raw onion and pepper that, along with all the lemon juice, completely overpowered the raw salmon, white tail and avocado.
 |
| Boots' lunch a "menu" of sushi |
My salmon handroll (temaki) was very satisfying. The rice was nicely aged, the salmon is farmed but fresh and the seaweed had a good crunch to it. I wished I had ordered two and skipped the salmon/sesame roll. For some reason the rice in my sushi roll was warm and the avocado wasn't ripe. I also think the sesame seeds might have been stale. The hand roll was a much better experience.
 |
| Kiotori brochettes are too dry to eat if not smothered in terryaki sauce |
Savage ordered an appetizer of carpaccio of salmon. The carpaccio was covered in garlic powder (ew!). And that's all we need to say about that.
For her entree, she ordered one of the many brochette menus. It came with the same great miso and a cabbage salad whose ginger vinaigrette was overly sweet (typically Moroccan). For her brochettes, she asked for the terriyaki on the side (you know, because of the "diet") and, as a result, was served some very dry meat on a stick. So it's no surprise that Savage's and my reviews were not of accord. She should have ordered the hand roll.
Kiotori Review: The Service
Initially, our waiter was very attentive and even allowed us to park at our table a little early (we arrived at 11:30am and they don't open until noon). But he lost a lot of points with us (and probably half his tip) when he brought us the bill before we asked for it. Bear had started crying and the people around us were giving us the stink eye even though Boots was quick to evacuate. Bringing the bill early is Moroccan waiter speak for get the f$#@ out. It also may have had something to do with us asking for and eating an extra pot of ginger.
Kiotori Review: The Grade
I enjoyed my miso soup and handroll and appreciated the comfort of the seating enough to give Kiotori Mahaj Riad a solid 3*** La-bas grade.
LaSauvage was much less impressed and said 2**, shwiyyah. We asked Boots for her opinion and she agreed with LaSauvage so I have been outnumbered.
Kiotori's overall grade is 2**. Shwiyyah. Better luck next time, Kiotori. And hey, remember Hiroto.
