Cafe Morocco

I was out running errands yesterday and decided to stop in for lunch at Cafe Morocco in the strip mall at the corner of Capitol and Alhambra. 

I ordered a cup of their delicious harira soup, made with rice, lentils, and garbanzo beans in a tomato base.  I also asked for an order of dolma, grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice.  I always like the dolma at Cafe Morocco because the grape leaves don't have such a strong brine taste as I've encountered when eating dolma at other restaurants.  I had them omit the tzatziki sauce, however, since it's not vegan.

While I was there, I asked which of their other menu items are vegan, and there are several.  On the appetizer list, the humus, baba ganooj, falafel, olive mix, and torshi (pickled peppers, wild cucumbers, turnips, baby carrots, and cauliflower) are all vegan.  The tabooli salad is vegan, but most of their other salads include feta or a non-vegan dressing, so be sure to ask about the ingredients if you order a salad.

At lunch time, it appears that the only vegan entree may be the falafel sandwiches.  But if you go in at dinner time, there are a few options:  vegetarian couscous Maftool, vegetarian Musaka, vegetarian Mujadara, and vegetarian curry.  Cafe Morocco appears to be a very easy place to be vegan!

Cafe Morocco is located at 1221 Alhambra Boulevard, and their phone number is 916-731-4637.  In theory, their website address is http://www.cafemoroccosac.com/, although I didn't have any luck when I tried that link a few minutes ago.  The restaurant is open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  As an added bonus, they have belly dancing on Friday and Saturday nights.  Cafe Morocco is closed on Sundays.