Casablanca Cafe

	Info				Map				Edit

Address

18 Cambridge Tce
Wellington
Region: Wellington
Licence: Unknown
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Add to 'My Restaurants'

Contact

Phone: 04-384 6968

Overall DineOut Score based on 13 reviews

Total		6.6
Food		7.2
Dessert		7.0
Presentation		6.4
Service		6.0
Environment		6.2
Toilets		5.3
Child Friendly	Yes

Review by: 2Foodies (6) on 27th July 2010

Total		4.1
Food		4
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		3
Environment		4
Toilets		3

I finally (Friday 9th July) dragged my partner along to Casablanca, as I’ve wanted to try it for ages. He’d never been keen before as he worked close by & saw repeated name changes & always thought it looked scruffy. So on a freezing & rainy Wgtn night we arrived.
Due to previous DineOut reviews on the slow service, we decided to go 30mins earlier than we needed to, as we were going to a Te Radar show @ downstage.
We were greeted quickly by a friendly man who appeared to be the owner & were seated at the back of restaurant with the infamous draught! Luckily, it wasn’t cold at all due to a gas heater behind us & a draught stopper. However, the décor isn’t very inviting as it’s quite cold and white & not the vibrant warm orange & red hues you’d expect of Morocco. (Except for the beautifully coloured lamps & Lights).
We were the only ones in the restaurant at this stage. We were given our menus & then given complimentary pita & dips not long after which is definitely a very nice homely touch. He didn’t actually tell us this was ‘free’, which I thought was odd. The breads were ok but the dips were lovely & tasted home made.
We ordered a mixed platter (can’t recall the name of it), without chips (why order/serve chips in a Moroccan restaurant). This was chicken, beef, lamb & Kofta kebabs – all delicious but could have used a nice yoghurt type sauce.
We also ordered the Moroccan sausage, which was yum!! This was served with a beautiful antipasti platter (I know wrong Mediterranean country), 2 types of olives, hummus & a VERY hot harissa. (& we have hot tastebuds) but still a very very nice touch.
By this stage the restaurant had started filling up but there was still only the one waiter. He eventually came back to take our ‘mains’ orders but didn’t remove our used plates. I had the Fish Tagine with rice, which was nice. My partner ordered an authentic lamb Tagine with prunes & apricots on couscous, but although the meat was tender, it was extremely bland & quite fatty.
Both of us have found it pretty hard to sum up this restaurant.
It’s relaxed & casual, has friendly but slow & less than polished service.
The food isn’t expensive but the extras, I expect, pleasing for the C/place crowd. I wouldn’t book this as a ‘romantic night out for two’ but more for a cheap eat with mates.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: Trish Fish (2) on 12th June 2010

Total		7.7
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		6
Service		7
Environment		6
Toilets		N/A

Went here for tea 2 weeks ago with my man and his folks,the free pitty breads and dips on arrival is a really nice touch and although the bread was like packet breads the dips and spreads were fantastic, we all shared a couple of plates of meat balls to start. I had the lamb tangine with prunes, this dish was actually a delishous slow cooked tender tasty lamb shank on couscous, My Father in Law had the chicken and filo stack it was o.k but not as good as the tangine, My Partner had the chicken tangine this also was tender and tasty. We where the first table to arrive and the last to leave, we finished with coffees and little pastry treats.
This is not a fancy place and has limited menu choices but the dishes they serve are really well done, My partner Didn't like the service because they didn't clear our plates strait away but I thought the service was good he checked on us a couple of times and was warm and polite. I suggested this place to a friend who went the weekend after me and she also really enjoyed the food. Good cosy comfort food done well....be warned this place is busy so you may need to book ahead - not suitable for vegetarians

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: entertain_me (16) on 28th May 2010

Total		5.3
Food		7
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		4
Service		3
Environment		4
Toilets		5

Went their with my husband, my brother and his partner - they'd been there before and raved about the chicken pastille and the fish tagine. We were seated at the back table which had a cold draught coming from under the seat. They gave us free dips and breads, which was great, but then when we came to order they didn't have any chicken pastille or fish tagine or any fish at all or any of the beers my husband wanted to drink. Having eaten the free breads and dips already we felt like we were obliged to stay, although we didn't really want to by then. My brother's partner forgave them for having run out of her favourite dish, but then the waiter told us it was off the menu because the chef was too lazy to cook it! We ordered a bottle of Morroccan wine that was $40. The waiter seemed reluctant to sell it to us, maybe because he knew it was crap - "Not to everyone's taste" he said. But we insisted, so maybe we only have ourselves to blame there. The mains we did order took a long time to arrive, and came out one by one, with about 20 minutes between the first and the last. By that time we were the only ones in the place, and when I went to get the waiter to ask him where the 3rd and 4th meals were, he was hiding out in the kitchen so I couldn't. The food was pretty tasty and very filling, but boy, I'll not be going back in a hurry.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: ambd (64) on 27th May 2010

Total		7.6
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		6
Service		6
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

The tagine items were excellent. We didn't try anything else. Very tender lamb and tasty. probably a bit more spice would have been welcome, anyhow there were spices on the table which we could add. Bit slow in service as only one person waiting, but very polite and attentive. Like the platter of bread and dips as starters, makes the slow service bearable! All in all a good experience and good value for money. Wasn't given a dessert menu, so not sure if they serve dessert.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: Sejie (59) on 22nd May 2010

Total		7.6
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		8
Environment		6
Toilets		N/A

Well we will definitely be returning here. This is a lovely small restaurant just around the corner from Courtenay Place in Wellington. We didn't have a booking but managed to get a table for 2 on walking in. Within minutes we were given some bread and dips which were complimentary (and delicious). I ordered the harrisa (lentil soup) and my partner ordered meatballs for our entrees. They were really good. We both ordered a tagine for mains - 1x lamb and 1x vegetarian. The meals were lovely. This place is BYO and we were charged $5 for this which is reasonable. By the time we left the place was full and the atmosphere was really good. Very reasonably priced. The service was really friendly. Highly recommend.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: Hugo (25) on 16th May 2010

Total		8.2
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		8
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

Went to Casablanca last week with a friend of mine.
The owner/operator took us to out table and quickly brought us a bottle of wine.
A couple of minutes later, he brought us a platter with 4 different dips and a some pita breads. He said that this is complimentary.
The menu looked quite interesting (I had never been to a Moroccan restaurant before) and the most expensive main meals were $21.50.
I got a dish that consisted of 4 kebabs (1 chicken, 1 beef, 1 lamb, and 1 kofta) - this was offered with rice, couscous, or chips; and a side of salad. It was truly delicious.
My friend decided to be more adventurous and ordered a filo pastry with chicken, sliced almonds, sultanas, cinnamon, and caster sugar. It was divine (although, it may sound a bit strange).
While eating our mains, the owner came again and brought us a couple of small plates with two different types of olives and another one with chili relish. He said that these are complimentary as well.
As I had a 25% coupon, the total bill came to $26.60 - an amazing price for such a fantastic dinner.
Overall, it felt like we were at somebody's house, not in a restaurant, which is something I really enjoyed.
I cannot wait to go back there and enjoy something different next time.
Highly recommended!!

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: cup cake (31) on 13th March 2010

Total		7.6
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		7
Environment		8
Toilets		5

Wow this place fills up quick. We were in there just after 6pm on a Saturday night and watched it fill around us.
The service is what is best described as amusing, I don't mean it in a bad way but don't go in a hurry or with a movie to catch. It is the kind of place where you could easily spend an evening.
We loved our pita and dips that came out of no where. I would have been more than happy to have ordered it.Hubby ordered the fiery meatballs as as starter and we ended up sharing as the portion was large and came with rice.
The mains were lovely, we both had the plate with lamb, beef and chicken skewers. I had the rice and hubby had the chips. The chips were fried McCain crinkle cuts which made his day. We didn't get as far as even asking if there was a dessert menu and we were well and truly full.
I am planning when next to go back and have the Chicken Bastella or a Tagine. Yum.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: merriken (97) on 8th February 2010

Total		8.1
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		9
Toilets		8

Not having dined at this restaurant since mid-2008, not long after it changed its name from the former Medina at the time of new ownership, we visited it again for dinner early one recent Monday evening. We were initially impressed by its enhanced decor, with its myriad of coloured lights, attractive figurines and varied wall decorations. Perusing the menu, our eyes immediately focussed on that most traditional of Moroccan dishes, lamb tajine, and it became once again a "must have". Whilst the meat on our lamb shanks was not quite "falling off the bone", as it should, it was served with a delicious combination of apricots, prunes and roasted almonds, and accompanied by couscous. However, we were first treated to a complimentary entree of pita bread with four tasty dips. Presentation of our main dishes was in traditional tajines, with the lids being whisked off at our table. Our waiter, although not Moroccan, was very courteous, charming and efficient, including his attention when settling our account at the counter afterwards, with the friendly proud owner/manager in the background enquiring as to our dining experience. Being BYO, we were able to take our own favourite bottle of wine along with which to enjoy our meals, although the wine list included appropriate wines to suit its cuisine. The bill was quite modest, and we will certainly be returning for "thirds".

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: cam86 (18) on 4th September 2009

Total		7.1
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		7
Environment		6
Toilets		3

Previous reviews seemed quite mixed, so we were unsure whether we would enjoy going to this restaurant. However, we're glad we did. When we sat down, we waited a while and free entrees appeared. They were pita bread with a range of dips, verrry good. Mains were really cheap and amazing, so yum. Good sized. The environment was homely but i got a bit of a draught from the door, so don't sit down the very back. The toilet was like it was built for a little person, was quite weird. Overall, the food was amazing and cheap and we will definitely be going back.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: midget (1) on 7th June 2009

Total		2.6
Food		3
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		3
Service		2
Environment		2
Toilets		N/A

On a cold night our group who had booked a week earlier were squashed at the back of the restaurant next to the toilet door and a freezing draught which the waitress tried to stop with a towel. A third of the menu was not available (at 8pm) and the food when it did arrive was bland, much of the meat very tough, salad gritty. On three occasions I had to get up and go looking for the waitress whenever we wanted service, and the table was left very cluttered far too long. To cap off a miserable experience, when we asked for the dessert menu we were told that there was no dessert left! Definitely will not be going back.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

Review by: wwjdgal (24) on 29th March 2009

Total		6.8
Food		7
Dessert		7
Presentation		5
Service		7
Environment		7
Toilets		7

Went here with few friends on monday night for a dinner.
The meals were reasonably priced (in $20s) and in big proportion.
Also gave us free pita bread and dips to start with, and little pieces of baklava after the meal.
The deco was exotic and service was good too.
will go back on saturday for belly dancing.

Login to vote x0x0 | Add your feedback to this | Share on Facebook

« There are reviews older than 18 months, click here to show them »

5,054 views