Brunch alert: Rick's Cafe

So you're looking for the best Sunday brunch in Casablanca, but at the same time you think that Rick's cafe its too obvious a choice, and on top of everything you think that the whole thing must be fake since the film was not shot in Morocco...Open your mind. Ricks cafè is already and institution here in Casablanca, in fact they just celebrated its 10th anniversary not long ago; the deco its superb, the waiters are spot on and about the best you can find in Morocco, and the food is always fresh and -to Casablanca standarts- not expensive. So when my american friend rang me to propose me Sunday brunch I was like: eehh...ok...let's play the tourist. How wrong I was, the place is spectacular and super chill-out, some moroccan couples, some foreigners, everyone casual chic (there is actually a dress code to follow); none of those over-excited people with camera... actually I was the only one taking photos.
The brunch is reserved for the first floor, that is way cooler than the lower floor. On the brunch menu there's pretty much everything you are dreaming of right now: eggs benedict, omelettes with whatever ingredients you may like, ham, cheeses (parmesano, roqueford, gouda, etc), grilled potatoes with some kind of beef strogonoff, tagliatelle with seafood sauce...shall I continue? and then of course you've got the fresh orange juice 'a volonte', milk with cacao, cafe, tea, cereals, homemade yogurt, strawberry cake, pain au chocolat, french toast with maple syrup...well let`s say that the choice is larger than your appetite, whatever your weight may be. And all that at 160 dirhams, yes there's no mistake, 160 dhs for a king's brunch, so I guess...I'll see u there next Sunday.

Ricks Cafe
248, Bd Sour Jdid. Place du jardin public.
Ancienne médina. Casablanca. Morocco.
tel. 0522 27 42 07
0522 27 42 08
info@rickscafe.ma

Read More

Burger in Casablanca? Gourmet Burger

Seems to be the trend these days, burger places pop out of nowhere invading every corner of Casablanca...and we love it! Nothing better than going out for having meaty meat, when you're really in the mood and you can't have one is worst than a drug. So we tried this new little restaurant called Gourmet Burger, that is a chain already established in Rabat and is already very successful here in our white town. Altough considered by some people to be fast food, we rather think that having a burger can be a special time between friends, and even so anti-romantic that can be cool for a date.

Gourmet Burger is located in a tiny street close to Bv d'Anfa, you spot the place at once, it stands out with its very clean and modern style, just 'comme il faut'. You can remain on the first level and check how your order is made in the open and spotless kitchen, or you can go for a more intimate experience in the mezzanine. 

In the menu: two sizes of burgers, every topping you can dream of in case you want compose your own, or if you're lazy to think they propose some burgers with different styles; they all come with fries and a mini (decorative) salad. The small ones are around 40-50 dhs and the big ones between 60 and 100. We tried the american one with pickle cheese and fried egg. I was surprised they didnt ask how cooked I wanted the steak (it arrived medium, but I would have prefered it 'blue' or rare). Ten points less. Other thing did not convince us was that we asked for mayonnaise and they brought one but was not home made, the usual Hellman's with its particular artificial taste. But the presentation was very good and the place is quite cozy with all those wood tables and Charles Eames chairs; nonetheless the lighting is a bit agressive and had no music as background, but they just opened so it may -or may not- improve with time. They do not have alcohol license. 

Rue Mohammed Sedki with rue de la Tunisie just besides Alladin chawarma ziraoui 20000 Casablanca, Morocco

Tel 0664-861228

www.legourmetburger.ma

Ver mapa más grande

Read More

New Favourite Terrace...Hotel Bellerive

Casamood keeps unfolding the secrets of Casablanca so you can enjoy the best places without the disappointment of the bad ones. This time we where searching for the perfect place to have a coffee in the sun, maybe even a light bite, and the same propositions arose: Paul Villa Zevaco, Cafe Blanca, Le Cabestan...and that's about it. So posh places, expensive prices, judgmental stares..Not what we were in the mood for. The terrace of Mc Donald's are really good, you even get a seaview but the kids and the smell of chemical food don't really go with our lifestyle. Along the Corniche there are a few, including Venezia Ice, Luigi and Gossip, but you cant really tan and we like all the vitamins the sun can give us, so we decided to try the terrace of the Hotel Bellerive, an outdated Hotel from light years ago that I'm sure could be the perfect place to rent rooms for hours with your lover if this was something admitted in Morocco. Because the decoration of the Hotel is so harmful for your eyes we entered the café by the alley on the side and what we got there...what a surprise, clean old school tables with comfy chairs and a great little view on the sea and a manicured grass like I've never seen one in Morocco. The terrace is big and airy and you can choose if you prefer to stay on the sun or under a sunshade. Not many clients even if it was a Saturday around 13h30, a few ex-pats, one Moroccan family, us and a couple of very kind and smiley waiters that probably saw the foundations of the place. There is not even a menu, just the usual: café, orange juice, mint tea...and alcohol. Alcohol? Yes alcohol on a terrace looking at the sea: beer at 40dh, bottle of wine starting at 110dhs, and God knows what else, probably even a Bacardi Cola if you ask. They also have a grill that serves very good brochettes and not bad pizzas (not really Italian, but tasty). The conclusion? We stayed for almost the rest of the day until it became cold... and we came back the next day. And if you ask me, I'm sure I will come back tomorrow with my book. A total 10 for popular chic. Please Hotel Bellerive, stay as you are, wrinkles are beautiful.

38, Boulevard de la Corniche, 20180 Casablanca, Morocco

+212 5 22 79 75 04 

Ver mapa más grande

Read More

La Brioche Dorée...the gold-plated coffee shop

La Brioche Dorée is a French chain of fast-food style bakery with more than 500 shops worldwide. This kind of self-service in Morocco only means that you get your goodies on the counter but when you leave, the tray stays on on your table with an ashtray full of cigarrettes, so the new customer has to remove other people's leftovers. The combination of allowing to smoke with good prices creates a dark cloud of smoke on the back of the premises that can match the ambiance of “Cafe Manolo” in South East Bronx on 1983. We went on a Sunday to have a Nutella crepe and a hot chocolate, the crepe was quite good and the chocolate was ok, but very light not the excellent 'Fondu' style that you get in Freres Gourmet for example, but all considered, Brioche Dorée is by far cheaper. The waiters over the counter were slow and uninspiring and gave a general feeling of I-dont-give-a-damn about your order. In a city with hundreds of coffee shops the owners should choose more carefully the image they're projecting. Still, location wise makes it a good alternative for ultra-snob Paul and darky G-Ice. The first half of the place is non smoker and has a real nice tall table facing the street to see the life go by. Variety seemed right, there was even good baguettes on sale and good looking cakes and sandwiches also. For some reason there was pizza on offer which we found quite weird, but probably the market demands it. There is another one in Maarif and antoher one in Morocco Mall. And since we really like the idea we'll definitely give it another try, see if the general service gets improved.

Bd Anfa, Casablanca, Morocco 
http://www.grouperahal.ma

Ver mapa más grande

Read More

Fairouz Lebanese..better than McDo

And that is exactly what we mean, it might not be the healthiest of foods nor the highest form of cooking, but when alcohol is infecting all your blood and you're as hungry as a zombie craves for brains, Fairouz is where you should go. Opened 24h a day in the neighbourhood of the uber-snob Lycée Lyautey, the profile of client changes depending on what time of the day is it, from chic teenagers to not-so-chic prostitutes and party goers, and there's even place for the usual romantic couple that buy just to take away, since their decoraton is not very welcoming. But the truth is that their shawarmas are the best in town, and at 22 dhs, one of the cheapest options. But beyond shawarma there are many more interesteing and tasty options on the menu, the falafel is so-so, but the hummus is extraordinary and so is the baba-ganush made of auberniges, the kebbé meatballs are our favourites and the fatayr filled with spinach, but we've been told that all the other options on the menu are also very good. And dont worry, all of them come with the guarantee that flavour will stay in your backmouth for hours to come, no matter how many times you brush your teeth.

277, boulevard Ziraoui 20040 Casablanca

tel.+212 5 22 27 57 23 

Ver mapa más grande

Read More

Le Paradis du Fruit, much more than smoothies

Probably not a destination in itself, but if you happen to be in Anfaplace doing some shopping or simply strolling in this gorgeous Norman Foster project, Le Paradis du Fruit is a very interesting option to grab a bite and a healthy juice. With ultra-modern Stark design and nice views, its a total pleasure to sit in the comfy leather sofas and see the life go by. The menu was surprisingly complete, and even if they specialize in fruit they have salads, pastas and one of my favorite things in the world...ceviche! So I decided to give it a try and was very good, if presented slightly different from the original recipe, the salmon was very fresh and good size for the price, 60 dhs. The juices were also very good and very very large, but at 40 dirhams is exactly what you expect. They have ultrafast wifi and offer free parking also. 

Unfortunately, even if in in the menu there is alcohol printed, they couldnt get the license...it would have been to good to be true.

Anfaplace, Boulevard de la Corniche, 20.000 Casablanca, Morocco

 
tel. 05227-96909

Read More

Les Frères Gourmet, more than a Tea House

Les Frères Gourmet is the kind of place where a writer can go and sit during hours and hours. No one bothers you, the service is very polite, they smile all the time, and never try to rush you so the table is free for some other client. The decoration is contemporary yet very elegant: plenty of bookcases, nice wallpapers, old photographs scattered everywhere...they have a cute little terrace for the 300+ sunny days that you get in Casablanca and is located in the most civilized of streets, where you can find Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard and many other jewelers. I know what you're thinking, but actually the clients are not as snobbish as one may imagine, they come in beautiful cars and smell expensive, yes, but they're more the connoisseur type rather than the judgmental bitch. Gatsby is a regular here, and specially enjoys the best hot chocolate in Town, thick and made out of real chocolate, not some Nesquick powder. Ice creams, sandwiches, omelettes, Frères Gourmet is a good alternative to a regular restaurant since the feeling is much nicer than in some real ones, and the prices are really affordable. Its interesting that in the upper floor they sell cute handmade arts & crafts from candles to cushions and the kind of Jewelery you could find in Ibiza...and that you can only wear in Ibiza. As many other places in chic Casablanca, they offer a car park valet.

Price of the best hot chocolate in town: 30 dhs

Rue AÏn Harrouda,9 (ex. Jeanne d'Arc), Casablanca

tel.+212 522 94 60 00

Read More

Sojou, quick and tasty lunch

Sojou is the healthiest option in the neighborhood when it comes to have a quick and tasty lunch before going back to work, or as Gatsby does it, enjoy the cute little terrace trying one of their smoothies when others go to work.

The daily menu changes constantly, depending on the season you can have a really nice courgette soup, broccoli soup, leek soup or even gazpacho (Spanish raw tomato soup) in summer. They propose quiches at amazingly good value, and also wraps and sandwiches. The star of the place are the self composed salads, you can choose all the ingredients and add as many of you want for as little as 0.5 dhs each, the final price might not be as cheap as the traditional Moroccan place round the corner serving tuna-can sandwiches, but the BIO label, the cleanliness and the friendly staff are spot on. If you still have doubts just try the tiramisú dessert or another of my favorites, the lovely cheesecake.

Tip: ask for the member's card and have one free dessert every ten times you come. Like Tesco says, every little helps.

Price à la carte: 50 to 100 dhs

90 rue Moussa Bnou Noussair, 20050 Casablanca
tel. 05224-72200
From 9am to 8'30pm daily

Read More

Paul Villa Zevaco

If you like the idea to see and – specially- be seen under the x-rays of all the ladies-who-lunch and that maybe are looking also for a lover or a second husband just go to Paul Villa Zevaco around 17h to have a coffee or an overpriced orange juice. Lodged in the imposing house of the famous Zevaco architect, Paul is at the same time a bakery, a pastry shop, a restaurant, a coffee shop and a garden. The fireplace room is perfect for the rainy days but the exterior seating is perfect all year round thanks to the mild Casablanca weather. The place is centrally located and makes an easy meeting point with plenty of parking space for your Panamera. It feels better than any Venezia Ice and its undoubtedly the starting place for any respectable wannabe social celebrity. Unfortunately (or maybe thanks God) they do not serve alcohol. The food is not great either, so better stick to sweets and juices.

Boulevard Abdelkrim El Khattabi et Boulevard Moulay Rachid, Anfa , 40000, Casablanca, Maroc

tel.+212 5 22 36 60 00

http://www.paul.ma

Read More