Le Timgad is, in my opinion, overrated. You’ll be quite happy at Le Tagine.
Both, however, are “gentrified” Maghrebi restaurants. Good but there’s nothing like the atmosphere and fragrance of a steamy, cheap, neighborhood ‘couscous de quartier’ in Paris. Many of these are in the North of Paris (18-19 and 20th arrondissements).
And people who visit France from overseas always sound like there’s only one country (Morocco) having a food culture in North Africa. There are other Maghrebi cuisines to try, i.e. Algerian and Tunisian.
For Tunisian, try El-Benna on avenue des Gobelins, or Chez Hamadi on rue Boutebrie. Chez Hamadi’s “red” couscous is a must-try.
For cheap, authentic, slowly-simmered Moroccan food, try Agad’Or in the Barbès neighborhood.
Basra Chez Saïd in the same area: only grilled meats, salads, and delicious soups (chickpea broth, chorba).
Jour et Nuit on boulevard de la Chapelle, also Moroccan, that’s where you can order calf’s foot cooked with white beans or lemon chicken with house-made frites, you certainly won’t find that at Le Tagine.
Restaurant Familial, on rue de Chartres (18th) : salade mechouia, veal tongue…
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