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TRAVELLER
DISCOVERIES
WORDS AND PHOTOS JOSEPH OUECHEN/YOUARETHESTYLE.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK
CentreVille, Casablanca
NEIGHBOURHOODWATCH
With its French colonial architectureand ramshackle backstreets, Casablanca’s
downtownCentreVillearea is abeguiling combinationof EastmeetsWest. It’s also the
best place to experience theMoroccan city’s unique take on café culture
Ghitta Laskrouif
27, fashion designer
What’s your favourite local restaurant?
“The food at La Sqala [
Boulevard
Almohades, La Marina; tel: +212 (0)6 6182
0172, restopro.ma/lasqala
] is delicious
and it has a real homely feeling.”
Your favourite neighbourhood bar?
“Sky 28 [
Kenzi Tower Hotel, Angle Twin
Center, Boulevard Zerktouni; tel: +212
(0)5 2297 8000, kenzi-towerhotel.com
]
has a wide, panoramic view of the whole
city and the cocktails are great too.”
Can you give us a secret local’s tip?
“I like to walk in the Medina, buy a coffee
or some chocolates, and sit around and
people-watch the interesting characters
there. Also, I’m a huge fan of architecture
and the medina has art nouveau-style
buildings.”
Valerie Liais
32, beauty and fashion editor
What’s your favourite neighbourhood
bar? “The B Rock [
55 Boulevard de la
Corniche; tel: +212 (0)5 2236 2626
] is a
cool place to discover new bands and
other good surprises, like ‘theatre battles’
or nights of local video productions.”
Your favourite place to shop? “I love the
Marie M flower store in the Maârif [
120
Rue Abou Ishak El Marouni; tel: +212 (0)5
2299 6033
]. I never tire of admiring her
amazingly designed bouquets.”
Can you give us a secret local’s tip?
“The city’s former slaughterhouses
[
Fabrique Culturelle des Anciens
Abattoirs de Casablanca, Ain
Sebaa-Hay Mohammedi
] are being used
for performance space. Events there are
full of energy and freedom.”
Mouna Larraki
25, fashion journalist
What’s your favourite local restaurant?
“Rick’s Café [
248 Boulevard Sour Jdid,
Place du Jardin Public, Ancienne Médina;
tel: +212 (0)5 2227 4207, rickscafe.ma
]
for the very ‘old Casablanca’ feel and
intimacy of the place.”
Your favourite neighbourhood bar?
“I just discovered a place called Brooklyn
Bar [
57 Boulevard de La Corniche,
Aïn Diab
]. It’s like a bit of NYC; a very
underground place with good music.”
Your favourite place to shop? “Très
Confidentiel [
Angle Rue Yaala Al Ifrani
et Rue Amina Bent Ouahab, Quartier
Racine; tel: +212 (0)5 2294 0184
] has the
most beautiful selection in Casablanca,
with pieces from designers like Ann
Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten.”