Flavours Of Marrakech

Kristian Harrison visits Royal Marrakech at Bahrain’s Royal Saray Resort, discovering luxurious Moroccan dining, candlelit entertainment, rich interiors, refined service and a menu full of confident, fragrant flavours.

Royal Marrakech is not the sort of restaurant that relies on food alone. Tucked within the Royal Saray Resort in Bahrain, it feels designed as a full evening out, blending Moroccan flavours with music, performance, polished hospitality and a room that has its own unmistakable mood.

The first impression is visual. With its red furniture, deep tones and intimate lighting, the restaurant carries a subtle speakeasy vibe, less formal dining room and more glamorous hideaway. It has the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to settle in, order slowly and let the night unfold. There is also enough variety on the drinks menu to make it work just as well for a lounge style evening, even if you are not sitting down for the full dinner experience.

Under the assured management of Pasquale Gislao, the whole operation feels composed. Service moves with confidence, the pacing is measured and the restaurant manages to feel luxurious without becoming stiff. Mr. Gislao has clearly helped shape an experience that understands the importance of atmosphere as much as the food.

Flavour And Theatre

The entertainment adds greatly to that sense of occasion. Traditional dancers move through the space with candles balanced on their heads, creating the kind of spectacle that immediately catches the room’s attention. A singer and live musicians bring warmth and energy without overpowering conversation, giving Royal Marrakech a rhythm that grows as the evening continues.

The food begins with confidence. Hummus Meshawi takes a familiar dish and gives it a Moroccan flourish, with smooth hummus topped by crispy pulled lamb. It is smoky, rich and textured, with the lamb adding depth without overwhelming the freshness of the hummus beneath.

The Chicken Pastilla is one of the clearest examples of Moroccan cooking’s balance between sweet and savoury. Crisp pastry gives way to a gently spiced filling, delivering warmth, sweetness and delicacy in the same bite. It feels traditional, elegant and deeply comforting.

Crispy Beef with Truffle Mash brings a more modern sense of indulgence. The beef is crisp on the outside, tender inside and served with a smooth truffle mash that gives the dish a rich, luxurious finish. It is not subtle, but it is satisfying, especially as part of a wider table of dishes designed for sharing and comparison.

Tagines And Mains

The Wagyu Beef Tagine is where Royal Marrakech most convincingly combines comfort and luxury. Tagine is built on slow cooking, spice and softness, and this version uses Wagyu to elevate the texture without losing the soul of the dish. The sauce is fragrant and rounded, with spices that build gradually rather than dominate.

The Crispy Veal Milanese is less traditionally Moroccan, but it works as a hearty, well executed main, especially when the molten cheese sauce is poured on top live by the friendly staff. The coating is crisp, the veal remains tender and the dish adds useful contrast to the richer Moroccan flavours elsewhere on the table.

The Moroccan Spices Grilled Lamb Rack is perhaps the strongest of the mains. Lamb and Moroccan seasoning are natural partners, and here the spices enhance the meat rather than masking it. The result is bold, aromatic and deeply satisfying, with enough char to give the dish character and enough tenderness to keep it refined.


Dessert continues the sense of generosity. The Moroccan Orange Cake is a welcome citrus lift after such a rich meal, light enough to refresh the palate but still indulgent enough to feel like a proper dessert. The Royal Marrakech Secret Chest is the smoky showpiece finale, bringing together a selection that includes Umm Ali, Ras El Hanout chocolate, crème brûlée, churros and berries.

It arrives with the same spirit as the rest of the evening: dramatic, generous and made for sharing. By that point, with music in the room, dancers moving through the restaurant and the glow of the red interiors around you, Royal Marrakech feels less like a standard meal and more like an experience. Food is the foundation, but the real appeal lies in the way everything comes together.

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