Casablanca: Small Delights

A wise Moroccan-native advised us to fly into Casablanca, spend the night, and then take a train to one of the more cultural spots in the country. We did just this, and found that a night in Casablanca was delightful, but we were not yearning for more.

We focused on four things during our short trip to Casablanca. If you have a short period in the city, we highly recommend three of the four:

A good dinner

Patrick was lucky enough to be reading a December issue of the New York Times and spot the 36 Hours article was about Casablanca. In the article, they recommend Al-Mounia restaurant for dinner. This was the best meal we had during our trip to Morocco, and also the best atmosphere. Our waiter was hilarious. He did not neglect any opportunity to tease us, but was very helpful as we tried to narrow down our Moroccan food tastes. The small restaurant was quaint and decorated in with Moroccan tiles and brass tables. There was a courtyard outside which would have been delightful without the rain. 

                                          Rick's Café

Playing it again!

Truth: this was in the hotel lobby, not the café

Maybe it's touristy, but we couldn't go to Casablanca without checking out Rick's Café! Disclaimer: Rick's Café did not exist when the 1942 movie was filmed. The Café we see now was opened by Americans in 2004. Even so, the waiters were wearing white jackets, they had their own version of Sam playing piano in the center, and it was a great place to grab a cocktail. We didn't sample the food, but instead sat at the bar for a cosmo and a double old fashioned. I enjoyed every second of our touristy indulgence. 

Hassan II Mosque

This was the highlight of our time in Casablanca, and cannot be missed. The largest mosque in Africa features the tallest minaret in the world, a retractable roof, and an hour-long English tour for 120 Dirhams (~$12). Read more about the Hassan II Mosque here. 

The markets

Smoothie, smoothie sidecar, and a cafe au lait

This was our least favorite of our four focuses, but we enjoyed the glimpse into Casablanca city life. We wandered around the Medina to the Marché Central (again on the advice of the 36 Hours article). Though we didn't find anything at the market (there were several food/meat stalls), we loved the scenery and enjoyed a juice like the locals. Tip: their "smoothies" seem to put a bigger emphasis on the fruit than we do in America, and the result is delicious.