Tunisian food is the meeting point of Berber, Arab, Andalusian, and Italian influences in a cuisine that is bolder and spicier than its North African neighbours. Harissa — the red chili paste with cumin, garlic, and olive oil — appears in almost everything, and the Tunisian version is more complex and more assertive than any exported version. Brik (a thin pastry fried around egg, tuna, and harissa) is the street food that defines the country in a single bite. Couscous, the Friday dish across North Africa, arrives here with lamb, vegetables, and a broth coloured red with tomato and spice. The Sfaxian seafood tradition in the south, the Jewish-influenced cuisine of Djerba, and the Italian-inflected food of Tunis's old quarter add regional complexity. Boukha (fig eau-de-vie) is the distinctive Tunisian spirit, made by the Jewish community for centuries. That's where it gets good.