Where do the hip young Fassis go to chill out? That was the question on our minds when we got to chatting with the stylish musical duo playing at the Sofitel Palais Jamais bar one night. They promptly directed us to Barcelona Café in the medina, near the Bab Boujloud. The brainchild of four Spaniards and a Moroccan, this charming spot marries old and new, Moroccan and European — a heavily detailed wall housing shelves of European antiques; local lamps lighting up eclectic pieces in the second-floor art gallery; and a giant flat-screen playing music videos from around the globe streamed from YouTube, above a pastry counter stocked with house-made local treats. Head up to the terrace, where a young crowd playing cards is too preoccupied to wonder how you, a mere tourist, infiltrated their ranks, and watch the scene on the Tala’a Kbira below. The real entertainment starts downstairs after 7 p.m., when people pack the plush couches and a mic is passed around for some Arabic and French karaoke. Talented locals belt out everything from Khaled to the Gypsy Kings, while onlookers sing along throatily in unison. Sure, the language barriers can be challenging, but sometimes it’s nice not to hear another American accent all night.
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Where do the hip young Fassis go to chill out? That was the question on our minds when we got...
Where do the hip young Fassis go to chill out? That was the question on our minds when we got to chatting with the stylish musical duo playing at the Sofitel Palais Jamais bar one night. They promptly directed us to Barcelona Café in the medina, near the Bab Boujloud. The brainchild of four Spaniards and a Moroccan, this charming spot marries old and new, Moroccan and European — a heavily detailed wall housing shelves of European antiques; local lamps lighting up eclectic pieces in the second-floor art gallery; and a giant flat-screen playing music videos from around the globe streamed from YouTube, above a pastry counter stocked with house-made local treats. Head up to the terrace, where a young crowd playing cards is too preoccupied to wonder how you, a mere tourist, infiltrated their ranks, and watch the scene on the Tala’a Kbira below. The real entertainment starts downstairs after 7 p.m., when people pack the plush couches and a mic is passed around for some Arabic and French karaoke. Talented locals belt out everything from Khaled to the Gypsy Kings, while onlookers sing along throatily in unison. Sure, the language barriers can be challenging, but sometimes it’s nice not to hear another American accent all night.