Agadir

[Catriona]

In between moving countries and jobs, selling an apartment and trying to find another, and as our honeymoon, my husband and I have booked a holiday to Agadir next week.

I know it's touristy and built up and so on, and that there will be plenty of all day english breakfasts, but we needed somewhere relatively close to home where it would be warm and we could just relax without 10 hour flights etc etc.

Does anyone know of anywhere good for us to eat? Any other recommendations?

[Simon_S]

Hi Catriona,

We were there several years ago and honestly, the food was dire. So dire in fact, that we had lunch at the McDonald's near our hotel most days because at least we could be sure that it wouldn't lead to a shockin' Moroccan tummy. The one saving grace was, of all things, an Italian restaurant by the name of La Scala that did good seabass and a most excellent tart-tatin.

Having said all this, there's a good sporting chance things will be different now. Agadir wasn't really sure what it wanted to be at that time, but I think there's definitely room for something a bit better. Fingers crossed in any case.

Happy Honeymooning!

Si

[Catriona]

How... fabulous.

It's pretty much what I had expected, though. Not sure I'll be going for the macdo, but we might end up eating at the hotel. Club sandwiches and caesar salads (the staples of every room service menu).

[piazzola]

Hello Catriona,

I could ask a Spanish friend who lives there and come back with an answer in few hours if you don't mind?

[Catriona]

Thanks, piazz, that would be great!

I'll have a chance to check in once or twice before I leave (Saturday), so that would be much appreciated!

[piazzola]

To begin with my friend tell me that knows little about good restaurants there

because she is just average and never go out to restaurants however she recommends the ones along the beach walk and surrounding area and in the city centre the ones on Boulevard Hassan and Boulevard Mohammed.

She recommends freshly caught fish cooked the stalls in port area.

She will come back to me with some more info later.

[prasantrin]

The closest I got to Agadir was Essaouira, and that wasn't very close, so I don't have any restaurant suggestions for you. I did have a co-worker from that area, and if I remember correctly, it's the best place to get argan oil. In Essaouira you could ask for argan oil instead of olive oil as a bread dip, and it was delicious! The prices for it aren't much different in Agadir as in, say, Rabat, but it's closer to the source, so it might be fresher.

And if you can catch a picture of the goats eating the fruit in the trees, it's a wonderful sight! (I'm still kicking myself for not forcing the taxi driver to stop so we could take pictures!)

[Catriona]

Ooh, don't think I had thought abut Argan oil! Good tip, Pras!

Piazz: that's exactly the kid of info I needed, thank you so much.

Off for a bit of sun I go.

[Ptipois]

Agadir is indeed the best place to get argan oil. Remember that oil from toasted seeds is for cooking and oil from untoasted seeds is for cosmetic use (face, body, massage and wonderful sun protection, and healing after a slight sunstroke).

Don't miss amlou, which is a paste of argan oil, honey and ground almonds. It is eaten as a dip, with bread. Power food (served to mountain travellers when they reach a village) and you won't be able to touch Nutella after that.

A complete hammam + Berber massage at the Argane Spa (it is located in a hotel) is a wonderful experience if you have three hours to spare. Make sure you can go to bed straight after that.

I've found food in Agadir to be so-so, but they do have good steaks and côtes de bœuf at the Casino restaurant.

My recommendation would be to go along the coast to the North: Agadir harbor, and even farther to Aourir and Taghazout, for beachside restaurants serving good grilled fish and simple Soussian fare like tajines and grilled meats.

Aourir has banana groves and the bananas are small and delicious.

My favorite pastry shop is Tafarnout, I no longer have the address but everybody knows it.

Some pictures of Agadir and the Souss region in several posts of my blog: 1 2 3 4 5

Agadir may not be the best-looking city in Morocco (far from that) but it has a nice feeling and good lifestyle. It is also the best place to explore the fascinating Souss region. And boy, those beaches...

Edited January 9, 2007 by Ptipois (log)

[Catriona]

Back this morning...

Food was so-so - we did a tour of tagines... nice, in fact! Argane oil is absolutely delicious, but we will definitely have to go back to try the amlou.

Love hammams, went tot he one in our hotel because I couldn't face the thought of having todal with a taxi driver afterwards... heaven. S nie to feel as clean as it's possble to feel.

Such a lazy week, was perfect, we will definitely be going back.