Casablanca and Next Generation UPAF - May 6th - Mark Your Calendar!
A little over a month ago, on a Monday night, I agreed to meet the man I had been out with a few times for dinner - prior to my leaving for Florida on a business trip. He suggested (and made a reservation at, as he always does!) Casablanca on Brady Street. Although we really enjoyed the delicious Middle Eastern food, I was more intent on enjoying the evening with the guy I would find myself dating, and then walking away from (aka: the eventual ex-boyfriend), than on taking photos to share in a blog post.However, a few weeks later, through my affiliation with Next Generation UPAF, I found myself being hosted to another dining experience at Casablanca by a fellow Next Genner, Nadia, whose family owns the restaurant. It was the perfect opportunity to take pictures and write a post! Oh, and to enjoy more delicious Middle Eastern food and traditions!Nadia and her family have generously offered to host a fund raiser for UPAF on Wednesday May 6th, and she wanted a few people to come by and check out the restaurant, the food, and the Hookah.I met Nadia at the upper level bar (Casablanca is a huge restaurant!). She greeted me warmly and started to explain the concept of Hookah to me. The flavors (citrus, mint, etc), the technique (think Clinton), and the social aspect of Hookah. When Nadia gave me my own mouthpiece, I sampled from her bowl. I can honestly say that smoking Hookah isn't "my thing", but when in Rome...
Shortly thereafter, two others joined us, Craig and Kristi. Both work at Apex Systems, and have worked with Nadia in the past. And, both were lovely folks - it was very easy to feel comfortable with these two!Nadia, having checked out my blog, already knew that I would trust her and the servers to choose good food for me that evening. And, they did!We started with Adas Majrous (lentil soup) - which was wonderfully flavorful and had great consistency.
Then, as we were enjoying casual conversation, we munched on some deliciously simple hummus and meat with warm, fresh pita bread.
Our entrees were served quickly thereafter. I was served chicken and beef kabobs with basmati rice. A great combination of proteins and vegetables - all perfectly flavored.
During our dinner conversation, we talked about the event Casablanca will host on May 6th. From 5:30-8:30PM that evening, Casablanca will have guest bartenders from local businesses (including Nadia's employer, Rockwell Automation). The tips and a percentage of the bar take will be donated to the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). There will be delicious a Middle Eastern food buffet, a complimentary round of drinks, prizes (vouchers for the performing arts), belly dancers and other entertainment throughout the evening.We took a brief break to enjoy a few bites of a surprise delivery of baklava (yum!). I ended up taking a few pieces home to share with my house guest and to munch on later! And then continued with our conversation.
With the space Casablanca offers, the FABULOUS food, and the generosity of the owners, this should be a fantastically fun evening out! "Like" their Facebook page for more information about this event as well as "Classic Movie Night", "wine and canvas", and other special events.I hope to see local folks on May 6th for a great night out in support of the performing arts!Cheers!Ker