ASHA Moroccan Mediterranean Restaurant, Long Beach

Dips made from fire-roasted eggplant or bell peppers, known respectively as zaolook and shakshooka, top pieces of pita bread and slices of house-baked flatbread at ASHA Moroccan Mediterranean Kitchen. Many of the traditional recipes used in the kitchen come from owner Hend Elarabi's own mother, according to the OC Weekly blog, and treat taste buds to flavor combinations that will be new to many diners. Slow-cooked lentils join fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and Moroccan herbs in the adeesa, Hend's favorite appetizer, and dried plums lend their sweetness to bits of roasted lamb in pots of lamb tajeen. To add to the traditional ambiance set by the restaurant's cuisine, belly dancers provide entertainment, offer shimmy lessons, and translate stomach growls into English throughout the week.