Chez Bachir — Algerian / Grills, Oran
Chez Bachir sits in the Medina Jdida quarter — Oran's old city district, with its covered market lanes, artisan workshops, and the specific density of urban life that the colonial city replaced with boulevards but never entirely eliminated. The restaurant feeds this community without ceremony.
The grill menu is the kitchen's purpose: merguez made in-house with the Oran spice blend (more cumin-forward than the Algiers version, with a touch of paprika that reflects the Spanish influence), lamb brochettes marinated overnight, and the grilled chicken with chermoula that the Medina's population considers the correct lunch.
The couscous served on Fridays is communal and plentiful — prepared for the neighbourhood rather than for individual tables, arriving in large pots that accommodate whatever number appears. It is the feeding of a community rather than the service of customers.
Bachir himself is the grill master — a third-generation butcher whose family supplied the market before converting part of the operation to a restaurant. The merguez reflects this lineage.
Best Occasion: Great for Group Birthdays
The Friday couscous for a group in the Medina — communal, generous, and entirely unpretentious. Birthday celebrations at Chez Bachir are in the best Algerian tradition.
Best Occasion: Works for Team Dinners
Shared merguez, communal couscous, and the Medina Jdida atmosphere. The most culturally specific team dinner available in Oran.