Marrakech Express
Marrakech Express was created by the excellent chef Amal Alaoui. She learned how to cook from her mother, family, and chefs in Marrakech, Morocco. She brings untouched traditional Mediterranean cuisine to Atlanta. Almost everyone can grab a bit to eat at Marrakech Express because she offers gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. And, of course, everything is Halal.
When asked why she started Marrakech Express, she explained that when she immigrated from Morocco, she needed a job but did not have any technical skills, and the only thing she knew how to do well was cooking. So she did what she knew best and brought traditional Moroccan & Mediterranean food to Atlanta. Unfortunately, she closed her brick-and-mortar store during covid, but you can find her pop-ups around the Atlanta area. Marrakech Express comes to Georgia Tech every Wednesday outside the student center at 10:00 am. If you want to guarantee yourself a plate, you need to be there around 9:50 because the line will start to wrap around her stand (she will typically run out of food in an hour). With her growing customer base, she hopes to buy a food truck and get out of her food stand in the next year. So, keep your eye out for a future food truck. *I would also like to note that she does do catering.
Ratings: 8.78/10
Overall: 8.6
Bang for your buck: 8.7/10
Taste: 8.4/10
Service: 10/10
Recommend to friends: 8.3
Final Thoughts
If I had to go back, I would want to try everything on the menu. I ended up getting the Chicken Shawarma and the Chicken Felfela because Amal was nice enough to give me a sample of the Chicken Felfela. Both of the chickens were nice and juicy. You know that feeling when the meat falls off the bone? That was the same sensation, but with chicken and no bone—kind of weird to think about. I guess I am trying to say that it was cooked perfectly. Also, don’t get me started on the white and hot sauce. She has some recipes on her website, but two things I wish she had put on the website were the white and hot sauces. I could see myself using the hot sauce she hand makes on a lot of things. It was just enough heat that accentuated the flavor of the food. That white sauce she used tasted good on the chicken, but why did it taste so good on the salad? The first thing I finished was the salad, which I’m not too fond of.
One thing I appreciated about her stand was the price shown was the price you paid. In addition, her price was affordable for what you got. No wonder all the students want to go to her stand because they can get a whole meal for $9 and be filled the rest of the day versus getting a muffin for $7, which would last you until the end of class if that. This is no shade to the other stands. Amal is doing something right.
SK
Fun Fact: My friend and I were the first customers of the new year!
