BWW Previews: CASABLANCA on the Lower East Side Opens 2/12

Owner Amar Patel brings Casablanca to New York City. This new Moroccan restaurant and hookah lounge to Alphabet City pays homage to the classic film. Upstairs, guests will dine underneath Moroccan lanterns, which cast light onto geometric bright blue panels juxtaposed against whitewashed brick walls, adorned with vintage artwork from the movie. The restaurant¹s Moroccan menu will include a variety of small plates paired with classic cocktails and hookah offerings. The underground speakeasy lounge, dubbed Fes Down after the third largest city is Morocco, provides guests with a more traditional Moroccan experience like no other.

Amar Patel is a 30-year old entrepreneur who was first introduced to the hookah business by a close friend during a trip to India as a college student. He quickly realized how lucrative the industry could be and that there was a gap in the market on Long Island. He took a leap of faith in 2008 and opened up Long Island's first hookah lounge dubbed Fire and Ice Hookah Lounge, in Smithtown, NY. It was a new concept that instantly took off. Not long after, Patel realized there was even more potential to make money in the hookah supply and distributing business, which led him to open Hookah Me Up Wholesale Supply. He has provided hookah supplies to lounges, private events and celebrities, including rapper Drake. Seven years after opening Fire and Ice Hookah Lounge, Patel felt it was time to tap into the Manhattan market and with that comes his newest restaurant and hookah venture in Casablanca.

Following a culinary education at Le Cordon Bleu, esteemed Chef Wesley Wobles has been responsible for leading kitchens in and around NYC including The DL, Porters New York, Café del Mar, and Sugar Hill Bistro. Seeking a change of environment and eager to experience true French cuisine, Wobles went to Paris looking to open a restaurant and ended up running the Au Caveau Montpensier kitchen. Back in New York, Executive Chef Wobles will now bring his extensive experience to Casablanca to curate a Moroccan inspired menu.

Guests will find lunch and dinner menus comprised of a mirage of Moroccan flavors from small plates, to entrees. Standout authentic Moroccan menu items include the Zucchini cakes with preserved lemon yogurt sauce, Yam and beluga lentil casserole seasoned with coriander and cuminand Merguez and vegetable stew with poached egg.

Master mixologist Artemio Vasquez, formally of Pegu Club and Pio Pio, has curated a cocktail menu comprised of Casablanca inspired signature drinks crafted with fresh herbs and fruits. A well-rounded selection of hookah flavors and signature herbal blends including Banana Split, Melon Mania, Sour Patch Kids, and Pan Masala will be available in the restaurant and downstairs lounge.

Casablanca will be open 7 Days a Week from 12pm-4pm & 5pm-4am. The average lunch price is $5-$10 for appetizers and $7-$14 for entrees. The AVERAGE DINNER PRICE is Appetizers $7-$14 for appetizers and $16-$27 for entrees. All major credit cards are accepted and reservations are recommended.

Officially opening on 2/12, Casablanca is located at 189 East 3rd Street, New York, NY 10014. You can call them at (212) 982-3838 or visit their web site that is coming soon!

Photo Credit: ArtbyOmar

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