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East Meets West in the Heart of Cairo
By Dr. Maged El Bialy
Have you, while on tour, ever longed for an
early cup of coffee like the one served to you at home? In the
following review, I will introduce you to two very famous spots in
Egypt where you can sit back, relax and enjoy your coffee, Western
or Arabic style. By Maged el-Bialy.
The Coffee Roastery
First, let us drop in Mohandessin, a very nice
part of the city. It is early in the morning and you are just
longing for a latte or an original American coffee, flavoured if
you like. A major hangout for all ages is the "Coffee
Roastery" owned by a family originally from Jordan. They do
serve Turkish coffee, but that is about the only thing on the menu
that is not Western. When you go in the "Roastery"
(known locally by that name), you will find that its decoration is
very westernized. Wooden tables, soft lamplight and fans that look
like those in an old western bar! If you are in a large group, you
can sit at one of the round tables, suitable for 8 to 10 guests.
The chairs are comfortable, and what I like most are the skylights
in the ceiling. Here, I can enjoy coffee in the sunshine and
air-conditioning at the same time! Generally speaking, the
atmosphere is cozy and quite relaxing. The waiters there are very
hospitable and friendly. They are always smiling and you will even
be seated by a host, which is very hospitable for a coffee shop.
As for entertainment in The Coffee Roastery,
MTV is the show of choice on the TV screens throughout the shop.
As an alternative, sometimes only music is played from an
expensively installed sound system and their taste in music will
be familiar to a Westerner.
If I were to list the menu of The Coffee
Roastery, then this article would be a very lengthy one. To tell
you the truth, the bread here may be a little bit too crunchy but
overall they have a variety of sandwiches that would kick you off
your diet in a second. Roast beef and smoked turkey sandwiches
served with both French fries and pickles are a great delicacy in
the Roastery. There are a few salads but the sweets there are
numerous, varying from muffins to sweet crepes and cakes. The
brownies there are my favorite. Enough talking about food and let
us go back to the main menu of hot and cold drinks. At the
Roastery, you can find all the drinks you would find in any
coffeehouse back home. You can find a regular mug of American
coffee to tea with different fruit flavors served hot in a brass
kettle. You can have your latte hot if you feel cold or you can
have it cold if you feel hot! Do not forget to order it with your
favorite flavor.
The Coffee Roastery might seem to be an
expensive place but in reality it is very affordable and is like
any regular coffeehouse. Sandwich prices cost around 4US$ to 6US$.
Drinks vary from 1US$ to 3US$. There is no cover charge from 8 am
to 1pm and from 5pm to 7pm. In between these times, there is a
cover charge of about 4 US$. I think the rates are very
reasonable. Hours of operation are from 8 am to 2 am. I prefer to
go early morning or in the afternoon as the place might get quite
crowded and you might have to wait for 10 minutes until you are
seated. It is also worthy to mention that the Coffee Roastery has
four branches and a fifth one under construction, all in upper
class parts of the city.
Addresses: 3 MEKKA ST., El-MOHANDESEEN,
TEL: 7610995
46 NADI EL SAID ST., DOKKI, TEL 7498882-7600735
140, 26 JULY ST., ZAMALEK, TEL: 7380936
11,ROAD 18, MAADI, TEL: 3587189
Naguib Mahfouz Café
You are in Khan El Khalili in old Cairo, not in
the mood for an iced latte but still want to chill away from the
heat in a nice air-conditioned spot. Then Naguib Mahfouz café is
right at the end of the alley. It cannot be missed and anybody
will guide you to it. Oberoi hotels manage Naguib Mahfouz café
(named after the famous Egyptian novelist). It is a five star
place in the middle of a folk place. Hospitality and service are
all five star, so no comment is necessary about that. The
atmosphere is very oriental. The source of entertainment is from
the Takht, which is a band of musicians, all playing oriental
instruments and singing old Arabic songs. The Takht is at the
front area of the café but if you are looking for a quieter
atmosphere then I suggest you go to the back area. Where you can
seat yourself in large comfortable cushioned chair and if you are
interested, you can listen to the fortuneteller who will charge
you money to say her phrases.
Decorations in Naguib Mahfouz café are all
Islamic taken from the surrounding location of the café. You may
sit on a chair decorated with embedded pearls or have your drinks
served on a brass table. Yet the walls are normal and do not
resemble any Islamic architecture. On the whole you will not feel
that you have been transported very far from the Khan.
Drinks are all oriental drinks for example the
famous mint tea or Turkish coffee they serve. You could try the
tamarind (served cold) or sahlap (very warming) there if you are
willing to go through the experience of pure Arabic drinks. Food
is not available, but if you are really hungry you can sit in the
adjacent restaurant which I will write a review later on. If you
are a smoker, or even an occasional smoker, then you might enjoy
the hookah pipe with the famous flavors of apples, mint or
bahrainy.
There is a cover charge of almost 6US$ which
will buy you two drinks or a drink and a hookah pipe. Naguib
Mahfouz is a very popular place in Khan EL Khalili where you can
get away, for a couple of minutes, from the noisy and busy alley
of the Khan. Opening hours is from 9 am to 1 am but may extend
beyond that.
Address: 5, EL BADISTAN
LANE, KHAN EL KHALILI
TEL: 5903788-5932262
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