On a trip to southern Spain I balked at an opportunity to go to Morocco. I was cautioned that a day trip to Tangier, via Algeciras ferry, would be like spending the day in Tijuana and claiming to have been to Mexico. So, I put down Brion Gysin’s The Process, forgot the Joujouka Pipes, and drove to Gibraltar instead.

When I returned to our fair Montclair, I felt a bit unfulfilled. In an attempt to satisfy my North African gastronomic curiosities, I decided to dine at Montclair’s Moroccan restaurant, Marrakech, 708 Bloomflield Avenue.

I was pleasantly surprised; Marrakech is an exotic, romantic, colorful and somewhat decadent space, filled with subtle Moroccan music, gracious hospitality, and attentive service. In the middle of the afternoon, and with no wine at all, I was bit swept away. It was over this meal where I fell deeply in love with my most coveted condiment, the incredibly intense, slow burning, harissa, which has been a pantry staple ever since. My entree soon followed. I enjoyed a remarkably fragrant, surprisingly fresh and warmly satisfying bouillabaisse. After the entree, traditional mint tea was served – a suiting finale of fragrance.