Food is an important part of Tunisian life; Tunisians love to eat. A catalog of restaurants in Tunisia alone would fill a substantial book. I recently asked some of my Tunisian friends, and some frequent American visitors to Tunisia, if we could agree on the best restaurant in Tunisia. Of course, we could not agree, but I was not at all surprised by the number of votes (there were more than 20) collected in slah, a wonderful restaurant tucked away in a little side street at 14 bis, rue Pierre de Coubertin, close to the exact center of town. You will probably need a good taxi driver to find it.
Like most high-end North African cuisine, the cuisine in in slah has deep French roots and focuses primarily on simply prepared seafood, poultry and lamb dishes, but what sets in slah set aside is the meticulous care with which the chef personally selects the fish at the waterfront markets each day. This is an art, and to do it well you need experience and a lot of skill.
Most of the inhabitants of in slah they are permanent residents of the city, with some well-informed visitors from out of town. You won’t run into any of the boating tourists here, or the occasional tourist. I’ve heard from some who feel that dinner here is the equivalent of an invitation to the very posh private home of a member of high society. Tunisian elite. This is the best Tunisian food enjoyed by Tunisians with the best taste.
I usually start my meal here with a nice Chardonnay because I know the waiter will soon be bringing a basket of bread and a plate of olives and tomato paste – pretty out of this world, though you’d think anyone could pull it off. I think they should make the tomato paste themselves. It always seems to go better with a white wine. As a main course, many times I have had an appetizer of grilled shrimp and then any fresh fish that the waiter especially recommends, most recently the red mullet, also grilled. came with simple fried apples, cooked in animal fat French-style, instead of vegetable oil. I guess this is harder on the heart, but hey, you only live once, and I miss the way we used to cook. fried apples back in the days before everyone became so health conscious.
The fish and chips were as fresh as I have ever tasted. Very simple cuisine, but elegantly prepared with great attention to detail. The food is simple but very good! I think there’s something else I always find charming about in slah that is difficult to identify, and that is its indefinable quality as part of Tunisia’s long historical past, perhaps reflecting the city as it might have been a century ago.
in slah it differs from the flashier, more expensive restaurants in the more well-known parts of town, for example those around the glitzy La Marsa and opulent new hotels (although the food there can be quite good, albeit more continental). I always find myself scrutinizing the other clientele in in slah, mainly expats and wealthy members of Tunisian society. This is a place largely unknown to newcomers.
Be sure to make a reservation before coming to in slah, as regular customers often come several times a week to patronize this unique and precious gem. I once showed up without a reservation and was only admitted due to a timely cancellation while waiting for a taxi to take me somewhere else, probably more expensive and not as good. You can reserve a table by calling: +216 71 258 588.
