December 14, 2012
Five Bars In Honor of "Casablanca" Anniversary
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 1 MIN.
CASABLANCA, Morocco - Rick's Cafe may have been an invention of Hollywood's iconic film "Casablanca," which premiered 70 years ago, but Morocco's largest city still has a great nightlife. Here are a few places worth checking out.
RICK'S CAFE: http://www.rickscafe.ma/ . 248, Blvd. Sour Jdid, Ancienne medina. Founded by an American expat, this bar and restaurant lovingly recreates the movie's famous setting with live music and an extensive Moroccan and continental menu.
LA CIGALE: 10 Blvd. Brahim Roudani. Not only do Casablanca's intellectuals like drinking here, but young activists as well in the arched backroom that features an eclectic decor, an active jukebox and a friendly crowd.
LE CABESTAN : http://www.le-cabestan.com . 90 Blvd. de la Corniche. Spend a night out with Casablanca's rich and beautiful in this combination bar, lounge and restaurant set right on the crashing waves of the Atlantic. The crowd looks expensive and the menu is.
UNITED SEAMEN'S SERVICE: 118 Blvd Moulay Abderrahmane. Originally built for U.S. sailors in 1962, this little gem hidden down by the port and train station features a beer garden, pool tables and comfort food like burgers, pizzas and even pork chops.
B ROCK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/B-ROCK/138602152861381 . 55 Blvd. de La Corniche. With a different act every night, from rock to reggae to stand-up comedy, this club is where Casablanca's alternative crowd hangs out, talks politics and dances, with affordable drinks and less of the high-class attitude found elsewhere.
A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
