Belly-Dance and Pass the Couscous

The streets outside Moroccan eatery Tazin are usually lined with luxe modern whips, far from the camel you might see tethered outside a North African resto serving the same cuisine. But the glittery people queued up to get inside might not be able to handle the sight of a furry, humped transport anyway. Each night, you can tuck into one of the pillowed booths and feast on traditional Moroccan food while you feast your eyes on belly-dancing beauties who move their bodies like exotic snakes and leave flowing fabric opening up like petals in their hypnotizing wake. But on Thursdays, the party turns up a couple dozen notches and takes full advantage of its unique SoBe location. It's just far enough from the usual debauchery but close enough to the action to tease you with seductive vibes in this jewel box of a restaurant. As for the music: Think a radio station where “Beware of the Boys,” Jay-Z’s collaboration with Punjabi MC, would be too commercial. Yeah, the one you’d listen to. The vibe can get a bit raucous, but it’s Euro-chill with equal parts vodka-soaked tables of lawyers and cigarette-smoking, canoodling couples. Try the fish tagine — lemony with a bit of spice and perfectly flaky. Or, like we said, feast your eyes on belly-dancing beauties. The place is perfectly heated up by 10 p.m. Call 305-531-8900, or visit tazinrestaurant.com.
Thursdays, 2009