I almost hesitate to give out the name of this place because it was SO AMAZING!!!!!!! It is located in a very unassuming location in a strip mall in the Northgate shopping area. From the outside you may not bother to give them a chance but if you do -you will not just have some amazing food but an overall great dining experience on a weekend evening.  Just walking in the door will sway you in a positive direction. The owners have made great use of the space that they have. The lighting and decor are great and make for an overall great ambiance. The seating capacity has got to be under 40 (guessing) so I would definitely recommend making reservations.

Please look at their website because the couple that own it have a great story. The owner husband is the chef. His name is Youness and he was born in Morocco. His wife greeted us and helped take care of the clientele. You can tell that he has a passion for what he does. He visits each table and tells the patrons the special of the night and also answers questions about anything on the menu.

When we were seated, water was brought to the table along with a plate of three slices of cucumber topped with a scrumptious avocado cream mixture of something. A very nice touch to start off the experience. First we ordered the  bruschetta for an appetizer. This is the most unique and delicious bruschetta we have ever had! It was presented beautifully and was made with mango pico, fresh basil, garlic and olive oil, topped with Dubliner cheese, drizzled with balsamic reduction and served on crostini. Wow!

Now for the entree’s – The menu is limited but the choices are there. Scott and Kenzie ordered the boullabaisse. The menu states that this is a two thousand year old recipe consisting of seasonally fresh seafood sautéed with onion, garlic, lemon and thyme in a Chardonnay heirloom tomato reduction. Scott, especially, thought this was incredibly delicious. It is served with some delicious bread for dipping in the broth. The seafood in the dish was clams, mussels, scallops and tiger prawns. Most of these dishes are made with organic and sometimes local ingredients. Kenzie originally ordered scallops but they had just recently ran out of them (not thrilled with that). I ordered the Moulin Rouge Cabaret Chicken. The picture did not turn out very well and does not do this dish justice at all.

It was absolutely delicious and just the right portion size. 

 

 

The experience was not over yet. Every weekend evening at 6:30 and 8:30 (I think it’s only weekends? Not sure.) They serve every patron a glass of sparkling wine and everyone, including chef and staff, raise their glasses. The chef explains why they do that and expresses his heartfelt gratitude for everyone who is there. He then asks everyone to think of someone or something they are thankful for and cheer to that at their individual table. Very classy and very cool.

Now on to dessert! They have three of them – a brownie filled with gooey goodness (which we tried to order and they were out of that too). Ugh. So, we ordered the creme brulee. It was delicious. the chef brought it out flaming and explained why. He said that it is usually torched and the torch gas contains chemicals. It was a great touch and a fantastic way to end the whole dining experience! Casablanca is a MUST visit for everyone. Enjoy!!