FEZ UP!

Chameau still brings a taste of Morocco to Fairfax

When Kelly Klemovich and chef Adel Chager closed the intimate Chameau a few months ago, they didn't leave the neighborhood. Instead, they swapped tagines for sandwiches and reopened as Chameau Delibar.

And the best news: The Moroccan flavors remain.

After knocking down a few walls, the space is much brighter, and now has a case brimming with fresh-made salads and roasted meats and vegetables. It's just the place to hit for a quick bite or takeout.

Among Cal-Med dishes like mozzarella-tomato salad and grilled tequila chicken, finding remnants of Chameau's previous life isn't difficult. Thick lentil soup is laced with cumin and fennel ($3.75); the aromatic eggplant spread that was once an appetizer is now available by the pint (it makes a wonderful sandwich spread); and roasted carrots get tossed with preserved lemon and cinnamon ($5.25).

Spicy merguez sausage topped with sweet roasted peppers and crispy leeks comes in a soft hoagie roll ($8.25), but we prefer it on the focaccia (pictured) that's spiked with harissa. In fact, order any sandwich on the focaccia--it's made daily in-house.

Get a glass of the crisp Moroccan white wine ($7) or a carafe of cinnamon-scented sangria ($10) and sit at one of the new sidewalk tables. It's just what the block needed.

~tastingtable.com