Picolo’s is located in a nondescript area just off a somewhat busy main road in Rabat, and not too far from the Royal Palace. It’s not exactly the type of area you would expect to find fine dining, but just inside the entrance is a romantic garden venue protected from the sounds of the rushing cars outside. Picolo’s specializes in Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on French fine dining and is undoubtedly one of the best places for a meal in the city. To go along with the food, the restaurant also offers an extensive wine list, mostly sourced from France.

Once you enter the restaurant, the smell of jasmine and roses immediately hits you and you’re brought into an elegant setting full of flickering candles, lemon trees and roses. It’s immediately obvious that the ambience is a big part of why people come here. Inside the quaint grounds, there is also a tastefully decorated indoor seating, and a partially open kitchen with chefs hard at work.

Upon being seated, we were served warm bread and complimentary olives. The olives were delicious and had a bitter flavor that reminded me of drinking an IPA beer. Perusing the long list of appetizers, we decided on getting a cold dish of creamed tuna, anchovies, olives and an olive tapenade on toast. The anchovies were delicious and drizzled in olive oil, the olive tapenade was excellent, and the overall plate was artistically presented.

For mains, I got the au gratin potatoes with beef and gravy, which was served in a small dish, baked in the oven and served piping hot. It also came with a delicious side salad. The top had a thin layer of crispy cheese and chives, a layer of potatoes, and deep underneath was exceptionally tender beef cutlets in a rich brown gravy. My partner ordered a homemade lasagna with fish, calamari and shrimp. The first bite was pretty fishy, but after a few bites and mixed with more of the pasta it got better. The calamari was tender with a delicate salty taste of the ocean — shrimp was equally delicious.

For dessert we had biscuits, along with a pistachio and caramel ice cream. It was heavy on the pistachio flavor (a good thing), and more like gelato than ice cream.

While we were dining, the staff was extremely courteous and able to accommodate my every need. The owner was also nice and came by the table to check on how we are doing.

If you are going out for a special date or just want to drift off in a secluded garden while dining on delicious food, Picolo’s is the place to go.