Massive, ornate Alhambra Palace a feast for the eyes

To call Alhambra Palace in the city's Market District "over the top" would be an understatement.

It seats more than 1,000, consumes more than 30,000 square feet of space and is modeled after one of the most popular tourist destinations in Granada, Spain.

Part live-music venue, part banquet facility, part Moroccan restaurant-lounge, it opened to considerable buzz last spring, especially with opening chef Eric Aubriot (of Aubriot and Narra) at the helm.

Then, within weeks, Aubriot departed from Alhambra, leaving in his wake the question of what remained.

Now that the dust has settled, we decided to check out the lavish nightspot, which comes from Dr. Naser Rustom, owner behind the now-shuttered Middle-Eastern restaurant Souk.

Hard to ignore -- even from far away -- the building announces itself with a copper-domed, castle-like exterior. Inside, artifacts from Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and other countries further the luxurious, Moorish feel. Sweeping archways, marble accents, mosaic tiles, waterfalls and imported furniture complement carved walls, crystal chandeliers and exotic-looking upholstery. The cost: millions.

Skybox rooms cater to the VIP set. Belly dancers appeal to voyeurs on Friday and Saturday nights (when diners can expect to have a 20 percent gratuity tacked on to their checks). Also, the bar serves mezza (tapas-like plates such as fried bulgar stuffed with spicy ground beef, pine nuts, onions and garlic and zaalouk, a spicy, Moroccan-style baba ghannouj).

This place is an eyeful, that's for sure.

As for the kitchen, now manned by Chicago native Daniel Wright, it turns out none-too-shocking fare, a surprise in and of itself given the backdrop where the dishes are served.

We began with classics. The falafel, traditional fried chickpea fritters, were flavorful and moist and served around a bowl of punchy tahini sauce. They arrived sans pita, however, so we asked for some after a rather long wait.

Next up, we had fattoush, a super-fresh Lebanese salad with chunks of yellow peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers with crunchy pita bits, slivers of green onions and shaved radish. Supposedly mint and za'atar were involved, but we didn't detect those flavors -- just the acidic and refreshing lemon vinaigrette the salad was tossed in.

Spicy marinated olives, shrimp marinated in garlic, cloves, coriander, cumin and paprika, tabbouleh salad, seared sea scallops with citrus jam and ground-beef-and-rice-stuffed grape leaves are among the other first courses. Of course, hummus is on hand, and you'll find harissa-spiked, grilled spare ribs as well.

Groups might opt for the mezza platters, which include a sampling of many of the first-course dishes and serve four to six diners for $50 or eight to 10 for $100.

We'd recommend the mezza because, in our experience, entrees were not a highlight. The roasted chicken tagine, while served in the customarily dramatic vessel, was dry. The North African-spiced chicken that rested atop a mound of dilled rice was joined by apricots, peas and carrots, which added color but not a whole lot of oomph.

We suspect the tagine was used for show and not to prepare the contents, the star of which usually falls off the bone rather than lies lifeless in the dish. The accompanying pomegranate sauce was tart to a fault and was best used sparingly or not at all.

Variations on the tagine are available, including one with slow-cooked lamb shank and seared scallops with tomato-basil sauce and chickpeas.

More enjoyable were the kefta kebabs, perhaps because they weren't trying to be something they were not. Made of highly seasoned ground lamb, they arrived lightly charred with tomatoes, onions, peppers and rice.

Seafood selections range from cumin-rubbed salmon, which is served atop caramelized onion couscous with almond pesto, to lobster ravioli in creamy truffle sauce.

A rib-eye steak comes with roasted fingerling potatoes, and batta bil rumman (braised duck leg) is paired with pomegranate, pistachios and roasted root vegetable puree.

Desserts are fine, but nothing we sampled from the handful was amazing. The cheesecake was creamy and therefore difficult to fault; the cloying wedge of sugar-saturated baklava offered up a sticky-sweet mess. Other choices when we dined included pistachio cake and chocolate cake.

The beverage selection is far less interesting than we would have expected, but it is more affordable than we anticipated, too. The wine selection is small, but most vinos are available by the glass.

Martinis include the Caspian Cosmopolitan with Ciroc, Cointreau, cranberry juice and a splash of Rose's Lime, while the Royal Alhambra features black Sambuca, peach schnapps, butterscotch schnapps and a touch of arak, a distilled, anise-flavored eastern Mediterranean beverage.

On the cocktail side, you'll find steamy sips such as the Red Passion with Stoli raspberry, Chambord and mixed berry juice.

The crowd is moneyed -- even if the skimpy clothing they don hides the fact. The result is a curious, highly multicultural mix of foodies, nightlifers and see-and-be-seensters. True, this place might not be for everyone, but it sure does offer a magic carpet ride for those willing to hop on board.

Alhambra Palace

1240 W. Randolph St., Chicago, (312) 666-9555

Cuisine: Moroccan

Setting: Posh, Moorish-castle-inspired, two-floor entertainment venue and restaurant

Price range: Starters $6 to $100; soups and salads $8 to $9; entrees $17 to $32; desserts $7

Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday; dinner: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday

Accepts: Major credit cards