Few restaurants have a reputation quite like Al Casbah. People go absolutely crazy for its North African cuisine on Mill Road. In fact, it is allegedly the first charcoal grill restaurant in East Anglia, going as far back as 1997. During a time when restaurants are opening and closing like a revolving door, that really says a lot.

As part of my journey reviewing every restaurant down Mill Road, it was a an establishment I simply couldn’t avoid any longer, so, I decided to visit with my wife and son, to get reacquainted with a place I haven’t visited in over 10 years.

Al Casbah It’s said to be the most exciting windows on Mill Road. In fact, the entire thing opens up and you can sit on the stools outside, using it like a little bar. This, coupled with the charcoal grill cooking in the background, adds to an authentic and exciting atmosphere. This is the very essence of Mill Roads quirky restaurant spirit.

You’re immediately greeted with the smoky atmosphere of the charcoal grill cooking up a variety of different meat skewers. The ceiling is covered in a hanging material with lamps along the wall, adding a dim and cosy atmosphere. The team at Al Casbah pride themselves on making their restaurants as comfortable and as inviting as your own dining room. I was bringing a toddler, so I was literally putting this to the ultimate test with that 🤣

We sat down in the back towards the bar area, which had a variety of baklava on display – a very dangerous thing indeed! The staff are very warm and welcoming and couldn’t do enough for us. They were great with my son and it was very quick and easy to grab their attention throughout the evening. The menu had a selection of dishes including meze, salads, charcoal grill, and a selection of vegetarian options, with prices being completely reasonable for central Cambridge.

The meze platter

We started off with a medium meze platter, which consisted of falafel, hummus, tzatziki, salad, beans, and wraps. It was beautifully presented with lots happening and different colours jumping off the plate. I would highly recommend ordering the meze platter to anyone unsure about North African cuisine who is looking to explore a little bit of everything.

All dishes on the platter were well executed and delicious, with my son particularly enjoying being able to dip in out of the dish and sample different things. I was particularly fond of the falafel and the beans that really stood out with vibrant flavour.

Brochettes d’agneau ain taya

You’d have to be crazy to visit Al Casbah and not try something from their charcoal grill, so we picked the “drochettes d’agneau ain taya”, a dish made with chunks of lamb, marinated in cumin, paprika, and pul biber.

Presentation is clearly very important to the team at Al Casbah, as it was another beautiful plate. The side salad was absolutely gorgeous and it also came with chips, with the option to change it to rice or cous cous on the menu, depending on your preference.

Mixed shish

I opted for something simpler and more straightforward – the mixed sheesh. I thought that this is a great way of sampling two different meat types at once. It came with a lovely looking salad and we once again had the choice of either chips, rice or cous cous but ended up going for the latter.

The chicken and lamb were both excellent. I am so used to visiting restaurants that try and make both meats as tender as possible, and though that is very welcome, I forgot how much I missed having a good solid piece of meat to chew on. The lamb was especially flavorful and portions were good enough to satisfy a big bloke like myself.

The cous cous was a large portion that was very lightly spiced with a very soft texture. It lacked flavour on a base level but came served with a spicy dollop of sauce that really brought it to life. It was garnished with herbs that added some much needed colour and looked fantastic.

My only criticism was the grilled green peppers that came accompanied with both our dishes. I found them a little stringy and tough without much of a kick. I suppose you can’t win them all!

Conclusion

Al Casbah had me leaving the restaurant absolutely kicking myself for taking so long to revisit. It is a restaurant that gets everything right, from the warm and friendly service, to the great food that is freshly cooked in front of your very eyes, beautifully presented, and tastes fantastic, to the fairly priced menu and cosy atmosphere. It encapsulates everything Mill Road is about and I can really see why it has lasted nearly 30 years.

Thanks for reading