Maison Mnabha

32-33 Derb Mnabha Kasbah
Marrakech, Morocco

Once inside the Maison Mnabha, the surreal sense intensified as the owner offered us crystal glasses filled with fresh orange juice in the lavish candle-lit, columned receiving room that had been the heart of a 17th century home. Bright colours and intricate designs on ceiling beams, interior columns, plaster walls and tile flooring reflected the opulence of a Moroccan palace. Incense perfumed the air.

Breakfast on the roof of our riad was an introduction to Morocco’s culinary delights. One morning we had sliced strawberries dusted with a subtle mix of spices and on the side, a bowl of honeydew melon balls sprinkled with two types of tiny seeds; another morning it was sliced bananas bathed in orange juice, topped with walnuts and spiced. Always there were individual pitchers of freshly-squeezed orange juice and baskets with pistachio nut-flavoured flaky pastry.

www.maisonmnabha.com