B'Stilla,restaurant,South Yarra,Melbourne.Supplied14/20
Moroccan$$$$
Take a smart backstreet and chic indoor-outdoor space,add an authentic yet contemporary Moroccan menu,and you've got B'Stilla. This newcomer's savvy box-ticking should be no surprise given owner-chef Jason Jones also owns the hype-tastic Mamasita;he impresses equally with his easy way with Morocco's complex,subtle spicing. The namesake pigeon and duck pie is a flaky cinnamon-scented beauty studded with almond and saffron egg;aromatics also admirably serve the rgahaif - cakey fingers of orange-braised oxtail,onion and raisins,one of several dishes chasing the street-food zeitgeist. House-made harissa on each table adds fire but it's not all wham-bam. duck ham with grilled pear,crunchy swatches of skin and spiced honey dressing puts a modern face on a cuisine equally at home with the rustic - maybe grilled vine-wrapped sardines or goat tagine with quince. To finish,rosewater flan with dates and nougatine sums up B'Stilla's heady mix of old and new.