La Vie’s chicken tangine is a taste of Morocco. Get the recipe.
Q. I had the good fortune of having dinner with friends at La Vie restaurant in Pompano Beach recently. What a fabulous place! The food and service were excellent, the atmosphere was enchanting, and the belly dancer was terrific. I had the chicken tagine, which was outstanding. Usually I'm pretty good at reverse-engineering restaurant items, but the flavors in the chicken were so complex, I wonder if you could get the recipe. I would love to make it at home. Thanks very much. — Vickie Schwisberg, Coconut Creek
A. Tagines are a traditional Moroccan dish named after the ceramic vessel that it is cooked in. The aromatic, North African spiced stew is slow-cooked in a shallow dish with a conical lid that creates steam from the cooking liquid. According to culinary historians, tagines date to the late eighth century ruler of the Islamic empire, Harun al Rashid. If you don’t own a tagine, an enamel pot with a lid or oven proof casserole will work fine.
La Vie Lebanese Cuisine (281 S. Pompano Parkway, Pompano Beach, 954-210-9818, Lavieflorida.com) promises an authentic culinary journey that starts as soon as you enter the dining room. Combining Eastern Mediterranean architectural design and vibrant, colorful elements, the décor is a reflection of the rich heritage of the owners, Abed Ahmad and his brother-in-law Ala Alhamed.
Ahmad and his family moved from Syria to New York in 1998. After Ahmad finished high school and earned a business degree from Baruch College in Manhattan, he and Alhamed, originally from Lebanon, enjoyed a successful run with their restaurant Mijana Lounge, Restaurant & Bar in Astoria, Queens. As their families expanded, they wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and sought to create a better life for their kids. Over the years, the family had vacationed in Florida and experienced first hand the lack of Middle Eastern restaurants that offered the same authenticity, quality and service they had built their reputation on in New York. In 2015 the co-owners relocated to South Florida and launched La Vie in 2016.
To execute La Vie’s cuisine, the owners hired chefs from Morocco and Lebanon. The classic Middle Eastern menu offers an enticing array of hot and cold mezze, grilled chops, kebobs and Shawarma, among other tempting favorites. You’ll find the chicken tagine listed under the header of Moroccan specialty dishes along with tagines made with lamb, seafood, grouper and vegetables. Completing the cultural experience is live entertainment with professional belly dancers. The shows take place every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Check the website for schedules.
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