There he prepared traditional food and hired belly dancers because he was advised he couldn’t open a Moroccan restaurant without entertainment. But he hated the idea, so when he opened Aziza in 2001 he was quick to let diners know there would be no belly dancers. (Aziza is closed but will reopen in May as Amara, exploring the intersection of Spanish and Moroccan cuisines.)

In 2015 Lahlou opened the impressive, beautifully designed Mourad in the renovated Pacific Telephone Building. When I reviewed Mourad soon after it opened, I could sense his struggle to unify his voice. On my visit last week, it became clear that he has found his path, forging a unique vision of Moroccan cuisine through California’s ingredients and modern techniques.

A gem salad ($18) is fanned over half a plate with dollops of cheese, apple and an urfa ash made from the Turkish chiles. It hints at the open-fire cooking popular in Mourad’s home country while paying homage to this region.

His smoked salmon ($22) combines orange, fennel, olives and zhug (a Middle Eastern hot sauce), creating a vibrant flavor palate. For his interpretation of basteeya ($24), he uses duck and his own spice blend along with pear, almond and cocoa.

Two appetizers stood out: kanpachi ($22) with avocado, Padron peppers and cucumber, where the waiter poured on watermelon juice table side; and foie gras ($26). The latter is the best preparation I’ve had since this delicacy was reintroduced to menus three years ago. The bon bon-like rounds of liver are coated in a mandarin gelee, accented with coconut cream and a scattering of winter cress.

At Mourad, diners have three choices in constructing a menu. They can go with a 12-course tasting menu ($155); order off an a la carte menu with 18 choices, plus sides; or choose one of the four La’acha, Moroccan family-style dinners that include four sides.

Although the chef’s talent is on display in every dish, to me the family-style options show the restaurant in its best light. On the recent visit, we ordered many appetizers, but for the main course chose the whole chicken ($75) with sides: kale with olive and harissa; potato with romesco, capers, grapes and Aleppo chiles; heirloom beans with feta and sumac; and couscous with brown butter, a feather-light presentation that belies its rich flavor

Pastry chef Katherine Campecino takes a more western approach to dessert ($11) offering items such as roasted pistachio cake with yogurt buttercream, pink grapefruit sherbet and candied kumquats; and a Meyer lemon meringue sundae with frozen yogurt, ice cream, pomelo and a browned cap of marshmallow.

They are fitting finales to any dinner. As he’s grown as a chef, Lahlou has kept his heritage front and center, sharing the love of his homeland with his customers.

Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic and editor at large. Email: mbauer@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michaelbauer1 Instagram: @michaelbauer1