Inwood - Park Terrace Bistro

We finally got around to dinner at the Park Terrace Bistro in Inwood, and I'm sorry it took us so long. It's right on Broadway between 207th and Isham and offers a mix of Moroccan and French cuisine in a colorful North African setting.

We focused on the Moroccan offerings, and were very happy with our choices. We split appetizers of merguez (lamb) sausages and a "mediterranean platter" with several meze - felafel, hummous, an eggplant salad, and a pepper salad, served with pita triangles. The flavors were fresh and distinctive, and the two large felafel balls were creamy - not at all dry - and well seasoned.

For mains, one of us had a house speciality called "15th Century Couscous", which is shrimp and scallops in creamy saffron sauce served on a bed of couscous (properly cooked, not instant)with nuts and raisins. I had a Moroccan style carmelized lamb shank with prunes and almonds (served with a side of that good couscous). Both dishes were very good and reasonably portioned. The restaurant offers a variety of wines by the bottle or by the glass (we went with a Reisling). Service was attentive and friendly.

Prices run under $10 for most appetizers and entrees are in the $15-22 range. The place was busy when we went on Saturday night, which was nice to see. There aren't many good dinner options up in the Inwood area; this one is well worth a visit.

I've been there and had the seafood couscous and the olive/lemon chicken tagine. both were good. however, we can't see blowing that kind of money in our 'hood, when we want to go out, we want to get away from the dysfunction that is inwood (sorry but I hate the social dynamics of the neighborhood.)
cheaper options that you probably have tried: la nueva espana and restaurante genesis, both on 207st.
i would be interested in your feedback about these or other restaurants around here, not too many chowhounds.

My problem is just about the opposite - we're up in Spuyten Duyvil and have been looking for places like the Bistro to supplement the cheaper neighborhood spots. We're actually across the street from Siam Square (Kappock St. in the Bronx), which is better than OK Thai (reasonable, but not cheap).

For us, Park Terrace Bistro represents a chance to have a local dinner of the kind we'd normally have to head downtown to get - and there aren't that many decent North African restaurants in the city these days period (used to like Lotfi's before he closed). Riverdale Garden, near Manhattan College, is another option for upscale dining (but even pricier and not as interesting a menu), and there's always Roberto's over in Belmont. There's also Johnson Ave places like Cumin Inn (decent neighborhood Indian but no better), Golden Gate (old-school "Cantonese" - great spareribs), and J.Jade for dim sum, as well as a few more generic Chinese and Italian places. (p.s. - moderators, I know this is the Bronx, but Inwood/Riverdale border on one another, so it's still a "greater neighborhood" discussion).

Park Terrace Bistro was a very pleasant surprise, and we expect to go back soon. Maybe since we don't live in Inwood, going there is more "going out" than it is for you.:)

How are the two that you mentioned? Worth a visit?

I'm glad Inwood can provide that experience for you. Similarly, we have been to Johnson Ave. and do feel like it's "going out" b/c it's very different from Inwood. I also like Nam Thai and Tokyo House in Riverdale (of course very mediocre but they deliver and we have nothing like that in Inwood.)
Inwood does have plenty of Spanish-American food. La Nueva Espana for Dominican, much better than Caridad. Order the chicken sandwich, roast chicken platter, rice and beans, camarones enchilados, shrimp salad, coffee.
For Ecuadorian, Restaurante Genesis (towards the 1 train on 207). Order any of the fried rice and seafood dishes, the green plantain empanadas, the other antojitos, the avocado salad, the ceviche.

Sadly, we have lived here quite awhile and don't know about any restaurants between 207 and 131st.