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The Basics: Casablanca restaurant information

Casablanca

40 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-876-0999

Casablanca restaurant information
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Yes, that Casablanca. The classic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman was the original inspiration for this Harvard Square restaurant, right down to the 25-foot murals by David Omar White.

When it first opened in 1955, it fast became a beloved, if culinarily unambitious, American joint. After falling victim to urban renewal in 1990, it was resurrected by a team of investors led by Sari Abul-Jubein in 1991, this time with a menu including North African influences. Since then, the food has taken center stage at Casablanca, with award-wining presentations of sophisticated Mediterranean fare.

News and Events at Casablanca restaurant

Taste of Cambridge - POSTPONED
Due to a wretched weather forecast - windy with scattered thunderstorms - this year's taste of Cambridge has been rescheduled for ...

Casablanca’s Smokin’ Weekends
Weekends are going up in smoke thanks to the BBQ fiends at Casablanca.

Easter at Boston Restaurants
Easter is just around the corner - whether you're looking for a place to go after church, after your annual ...

Camillo Diaz

Chef at Casablanca

Chef Camillo Diaz at Casablanca

After moving to the United States from Medellin, Colombia at age sixteen, Chef Camillo Diaz went right to work not only at understanding English, but also at understanding the intense labor of love that fuels a well-run kitchen.

Starting out as a dishwasher, Diaz soon rose up the ranks to cook, learning sauté fundamentals from Todd English, and learning to appreciate and perfect Mediterranean cuisine alongside Ana Sortun, who hired him at Casablanca in 1999. Over the last ten years, Diaz had the privilege to work in some of the best restaurants in and around Boston, including Figs, Harvest, the Fireplace and Oleana to name a few.

Diaz's attention to detail and his respect for the culinary foundation laid by previous chefs Ana Sortun and Ruth Anne Adams, have given regular guests and newcomers a sense of his love for the Harvard Square institution that is Casablanca, where he assumed the role of Executive Chef in the spring of 2006.

Diaz's first ten years in the United States have established him as a chef with big talent and even bigger heart.  Imagine what the next ten will bring.

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Dictionary
 
Aïoli
1. noun A blend of ail (garlic) and oli (oil) in the parlance of the Provence region of southern France. Around here, we'd call it a garlic mayonnaise.
Brioche
1. noun A soft, yeasty French bread enriched with butter and eggs.
Carpaccio
1. noun Wafer-thin slices of raw beef served cold; named after the Renaissance Venetian painter.
Compote
1. noun Slow-cooked fruit in syrup.
Couscous
1. noun Granular semolina popular in North Africa.
Crostini
1. noun The Italian word for "little toasts" (referring to bread, not grappa).
Farro
1. noun Tuscany's mainstay, a small, light brown grain.
Mascarpone
1. noun Ultra-rich, soft cheese known best for its role in tiramisu.
Niçoise
1. noun Dishes typical of cuisine from the Nice, France, region, where garlic, black olives, anchovies and tomatoes are nearly always part of the mix.
Pancetta
1. noun Cured Italian bacon.
Polenta
1. noun A slow-cooked cornmeal porridge popular in northern Italy; can be served soupy or firm, sometimes fried.
Quinoa
1. noun These small, round, pale-brown grains look similar to millet and have a mild taste and a firm texture. Quinoa is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids.
Risotto
1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.