Paloma Blanca

Family-run Moroccan on the JP Heije since 1999, alcohol-free and better for it.

Paloma Blanca has been on the Jan Pieter Heijestraat since 1999, which in Amsterdam restaurant years makes it roughly immortal. It is a Moroccan family affair with lanterns, carved white screens and mint tea poured from a great height, and it serves no alcohol at all, which filters the crowd beautifully: families, neighbors, couples who came for the cooking. That cooking is the real thing. Tagines arrive still muttering under their lids, the couscous royal is a Sunday project in bowl form, and the pastilla does that sweet and savory trick with cinnamon and powdered sugar that should not work and absolutely does. Everything is halal, the vegetarian options are proper dishes rather than apologies, and prices stay gentle while portions do not. Service runs on the family's own clock, so put your phone away, order another pot of tea, and let the room do its slow Marrakech impression of Oud-West.

Start with harira and the pastilla, then a lamb tagine with prunes. No alcohol served, so commit to the mint tea. Dinner only, Wednesday to Sunday.

Photo: Paloma Blanca