Smack in the center of downtown is a refreshing oasis of Middle Eastern food that few in Austin seem aware of, save for the bustling lunchtime diners that work down there. It's situated in the middle of the 900 block of Congress, on the west side, in a beautiful old 1880s vintage stone building, and contrary to what the media would have you believe, it's relatively easy to access at night, within easy walking distance of lots of parking.

Marakesh is the brainchild of Samir Saadeh, a native of Palestine who opened the restaurant in the fall of 1999, and the flavors are exquisite and authentic. The menu is very complete, and encompasses most of the favored dishes of the Middle East, with a few thrown in from Morocco and Greece as well.

After many visits, we have yet to exhaust the choices from the menu, but we have developed a short list of preferences. It's the age-old story of finding favorites that are so good that one finds it difficult to try something new. The mezze (appetizer) platters are a good example. They're portioned for two, three, or five people. Our choice of the plate for two ($4.99) is almost a meal by itself, consisting of hummus (arguably the best in town), two nicely spiced falafel patties, excellent tabouli, a fiery Turkish vegetable salad, and the ethereal thyme (zatar) bread (toasted with olive oil, garlic, and a thyme-herb mixture). Or diners can construct combinations from the huge list of 13 different forms of mezze (many vegetarian, by the way) Marakesh offers, with prices ranging from $1.39 to $2.49 per portion.

Dinner samplings we've tried include an unctuous lamb kebab (at $8.25 the most expensive item), the Tahjin (vegetables, chicken, or beef in a delicious and piquant curry-coriander sauce, $6.99), and the signature herbed flavorful grilled chicken breast on a bed of couscous ($7.49). All were superb, authentically spiced, and well-prepared. The beef, rice, and spice-stuffed cabbage rolls ($6.75) were some of the best we've had.

Service at night is relaxed and very efficient, thanks to the efforts of Emily, a waitress who is also an expert on Middle Eastern cuisine. The wood floors, stone walls, and regional decorations add to the ambience, and the staff caters to every wish. Marakesh offers live music on every night but Wednesday and we strongly urge you to catch the Thursday night Middle Eastern combo with Samir sitting in on the drum and recorder. The live Middle Eastern music takes the experience over the top, and for the adventurous, Samir will set up a shisha water pipe stuffed with Turkish tobacco and molasses at one of the outside tables for you to enjoy.

The lunch at Marakesh offers a selection of 22 different sandwiches ($3.09 to $4.69, both American and Middle Eastern), as well as a wide assortment of salads, mezze, and plates. Service at lunch is geared to be fast, the portions are huge, and the experience quite satisfying. We have sampled the chicken schawerma sandwich ($4.25), and it is a large pita wrapped around succulent thyme-flavored chicken chunks with vegetables and lemony garlic sauce. The hummus and artichoke heart sandwich ($3.75) is a fabulous taste combination, and easily large enough for two light eaters.

For those favoring the flavors of the Middle East in a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, Marakesh is the ticket. You'll find Samir there with a huge welcoming grin on his face, great service from the staff, large portions at very reasonable prices, and some of the best and most authentic Middle Eastern food in town. It's the total experience, and not to be missed.