Stepping through the doors of Walima Café, one gets the sense of having entered into an altered version of reality — one where the uptight, upwardly grasping Western sensibility has fused graciously with that of the laid-back, austere Middle East. A tea room sits up front, outfitted in richly embroidered, ultra-comfy pillow banquettes, caramel-oak coloured tables and ornate Moroccan lanterns. Traditional Arab music plays in the background, the lilting rhythms and crisp drum beats infectious; breeding an unconscious desire to bop along where you stand. As we move further in, the room opens up into a spacious, similarly attired dining area, where the owner, Mohamed, greets us warmly.

Having come to Canada from North Africa some years ago, the young-looking Moroccan worked hard to bring his dream of running a restaurant to fruition. He oversaw most of the renovations — including building the tables himself — and travelled back to the homeland to gather the necessary ephemera (artistically crafted tajines, exquisite traditional teapots) that give his shop an authentic feel. Walima, which translates roughly into “banquet” or “marriage feast,” finally opened in January, and Mohamed exhibits the traits usually associated with a new father as he shows off his shop: joyful and proud; a mild undercurrent of stress and desperation lurking beneath his effervescent smile. All are understandable emotions. Given the economic climate, now might not feel like the most auspicious time to start up a new venture.

At the same time, he’s right to feel satisfaction in the job he’s done. The aim was to create a comfortable, inviting atmosphere where folks could come to experience a little slice of Moroccan culture through their taste buds. And on that level, he’s definitely succeeded.

A chicken Bastilla ($12), for example, shows off the Moroccan gustatory sensibility to a T. A well-spiced mélange of minced chicken and almonds is neatly folded into a crisp phyllo package and finished with a slightly overzealous dusting of cinnamon and icing sugar. The result is savoury, slightly sweet and downright delicious. A plate of Zaalook ($4.75) also scores big on the tasty scale. Served with warmed, store-bought pita, its combination of roasted eggplant, tomatoes and cilantro steeped in a pool of flavourful olive oil provides an elegantly simple start to the meal. The shrimp sharmoula ($6.25) is slightly less inspired, with an oily, sharply garlic-laced tomato sauce that manages to overpower the tiny shrimp it comes smothering.

Of course, when you’re talking Moroccan cuisine, you have to experience the tajines. Walima’s lamb version ($13.75) is good. Bone-in chunks of meat that could stand a bit more rendering (the fatty deposits taking away from the dish slightly) come swimming in a fragrant pool of their own juices, pumped up with a fistful of plump, juicy sultana raisins. Side saffron potatoes — which come in place of the ordered rice — are simply divine. The chicken tajine ($11.25), which involves fall-off-the-bone pieces of succulent bird infused with olives and lemon preserve, is equally impressive. The rice (not the taters that we ordered) is somewhat dull in comparison, though — a Spartan mix of carrots and peas scattered across a yellow basmati landscape that screams Uncle Ben’s. The mix-ups continue with a brilliant tajine-plated vegetarian couscous ($10.25) that turns out to be the chicken version ($11.25) in disguise. And a piping hot bowl of Harira ($4), a peppery traditional soup of egg, lentil and chickpeas that starts off watery but comes together as it cools, comes sans the dates and pita listed on the menu. Despite the missteps, the food is generally very good.

In Morocco, the traditional end to a meal is not sweets, but fresh mint tea ($3-$5). After trying it, we’re not too sure about the lump sugar–sweetened, spearmint gum–flavoured liquid — but the ceremony of the whole thing is worth trying. And as for Walima Café overall, the trip is just plain worth it.