I first had chicken b'stilla at a Moroccan restaurant in D.C. many, many ... okay,
many ... years ago, and (culinary naif that I was) I thought it was quite the exotic dish. For one thing, I had never before experienced cinnamon in a savory preparation, something I now know is fairly common to many North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. For another thing, the fragrant herbs and spices, particularly the saffron, were not tastes that I was used to.
Alas, shortly after I ate there, I heard a rumor (from a very reliable source!) that - how shall I put it? is this a family blog? - certain types of
explicit adult films were shot in the very same restaurant space after hours. I'm no prude, but the visual of what may or may not have been occurring on the very table upon which I had blissfully and innocently enjoyed my b'stilla was enough to prevent me from ever going back.