Asha -- Moroccan in Long Beach: Hold the Salt in the Kafta Tajeen, Excellent Baba Ghanouj

I was craving Moroccan and fortunately had a chance to try Asha in Long Beach, whose service for a large party was pretty ghastly but food was good if not over-salted. The kafta tajeen with roasted tomatoes over couscous was too salty but the poached egg somewhat balanced it out. Because everything is made better with the addition of an egg, the ground beef and lamb slow cooked with roasted tomato, garlic, cilantro and spices was good if not for the saltiness. I later added a lot of labni, creamy kefir cheese with a consistency of thick yogurt, which helped to further balance out the saltiness and made it perfect. I'd definitely order it again. I also loved the presentation in the traditional tajeen (or tagine, as I know it) clay pot with the reversed funnel-like lid that is removed at the table upon serving.

The second best thing was the Baba Ghanouj that we got as part of the appetizer sampler. I usually like the eggplant dip more than plain ol' hummus. Zankou Chicken makes my fave but this one was super smoky, which I love, and really fresh-tasting. Can't say the same for the olives, which were these sad, little, over-brined, hollow things.

The falafels had just been fried and were crunchy with plenty of chickpea flavor. The Shakshooka, a tomato and red pepper mix with hints of garlic and parsley was good but probably better with some pita bread and labneh. The grape leaves were just average.

The potatoes, fried and then smothered in a tangy garlic sauce (I know) weren't as good as those in Sunnin Cafe in Westwood. Called batatas here, they weren't as flavorful as the ones in Sunnin. The potatoes seemed a bit hard, perhaps over-fried?

The venue has tasteful decor and friendly service but if you go as a large party (say more than 5), make sure you order as soon as you arrive or ahead of time. This place doesn't do well with large parties. While I understand this can be a challenge (we had about 12+ people, I think), what bugged me was that the server never once checked in on us letting us know it was on its way or apologize. That's not good service. I know sh*t happens but if you can't address the root cause, at least make it better with complimentary appetizers that don't need cooking or drinks.

I want to support this joint because it's a mom and pop establishment, the Downtown Long Beach eating scene could use some diversity and Morocco is one of my dream destinations. Please don't over-salt, over-fry and if you can't have quick group service, give the group something to make up for it.