Rick's Cafe, Casablanca, Day 265

Despite the variable weather, Chefchaouen has been a great place to visit. Indeed, as we come to the end of our adventures in Morocco I can safely say this country provided Christi and I (her health issues aside) with some incredible experiences. And much like Argentina in South America, there is a reason we allocated so much time to countries like these. In fact there is so much to see and do in Morocco and Argentina that we could always come back for another visit. I have to admit, though, that these are not the actual thoughts passing through my mind at 6.30 am as we taxi to the Chefchaouen bus station amid yet another massive rainstorm. An 8-hour journey to the largest city in Morocco and perhaps its most famous, Casablanca, looms, but my thought are more mundane: I wish I was tucked up in a warm bed rather than sitting in a cold bus station; where will we be staying in Casablanca; and even though Christi is weirdly craving American fast food again I have no intention of eating at McDonald’s. As the bus rolls out of the station, I think I may have a solution to the burger predicament: Rick’s Cafe. Themed after the classic Hollywood movie, Casablanca, the restaurant was the creation of ex-American diplomat, Kathy Kriger. More details a bit later, but the important thing is that hamburgers are on the menu!

The road in and out of Chefchaouen is a twisting windy affair – nausea inducing, in fact the way the bus drivers speed along. So this time Christi and I dip into her pharmaceutical bag of tricks to chomp on some Dramamine. While we certainly didn’t have any issues with nausea on this particular trip, we also didn’t see much of anything either as we snored through most of the journey. We think this was the most mundane of all our bus rides in Morocco , noteworthy only for the driver’s incessant honking, which kept waking us up. Perhaps the honking was effective, though, because we arrive in Casablanca 90 minutes ahead of schedule. We stumble off the bus, gather our bags and taxi to the nearby hotel Guynemer (a Lonely Planet best pick). This place looks rather posh with its art-deco architecture, marbled reception, and tiled floors, while the room rate of 370D (US$45) is an absolute bargain. I pay quickly before the management can change their mind. Rooms come with wi-fi, plasma screen TVs, and even monographed dressing gowns.

We taken the opportunity to relax and freshen up. Rick’s Cafe has a dress code, so we dig out our least disgusting clothes and smarten ourselves up as much as a backpacker can. Unlike the movie which dates to 1942, this café has only been in business since 2004. It’s actually surprising that no one embraced the opportunity sooner. Set in an old courtyard-style mansion built against the walls of the Old Medina of Casablanca, Rick’s cafe is filled with architectural and decorative details reminiscent of the film: curved arches, a sculpted bar, balconies, balustrades as well as dramatic beaded and stenciled brass lighting and plants that cast luminous shadows on white walls. Four fireplaces give the place an intimate feel, while a pianist creates a 1940’s mood. There is even a gaming room that constantly replays the movie (muted), so we never hear Humphrey Bogart‘s immortal line, ‘Here’s looking at you kid’.

We do, however, look at the menu, which has a quite delicious fine dining selection. At this point all thoughts of a burger are forgotten and Christi orders a goat cheese and fig salad followed by lamb chops, while I tuck into roast duck with chutney and cheesecake. This together with a little too much alcohol comes to a whopping 533D (US$65), but Christi pronounces the meal de-licious. And the good news is I can use my credit card, so I don’t have to resort to any dodgy black market activities (like selling Christi into white slavery) to pay the bill.