Cairo Nightlife

Unobtrusively sitting in the basement of the spruced up Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers is Darts Pub; a small taste of London. The dark wood panelling, dim lighting and large saloon bar take you back in time, whilst the Victorian-style, leather-button, tufted sofas and armchairs create a cosy, homely atmosphere. Being named after the traditional pub game, there is of course a couple of dart boards hanging on the walls; the one to play on sits at the back of a small wooden and glass cubicle amongst the tables and chairs – the sides stop any injuries occurring from fly-away darts.  The seating area isn't overly spacious, but it wasn't overly cramped, or busy either. We sat at one of the dark wood tables and listened to some smooth, English, easy-listening tracks before eagerly picking up one of the menus already waiting for us on the table.  We were pleased to see that the menu is vast, boasting a mixture of traditional English and Egyptian dishes. The Egyptian side of things includes hot and cold mezzas, shish tawouk (110LE), chicken shawerma sandwiches (70LE), stuffed vine leaves with lamb chops (190LE) and Oriental delights (120LE), which is a concoction of fried veal liver and brains with tehina. The non-Egyptian dishes include avocado salad (65LE), burgers (80LE-85LE), fish and chips (95LE) and a surf and turf platter (290LE). Darts also cater for vegetarians and celiacs with their vegan and vegetarian, diet and diabetic, gluten free and macrobiotic, dishes.    Keeping up with the British drinking culture, an abundance of both local and imported alcohols are on offer. Aperitifs, vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, cognac and other liqueurs are available as well as beer, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, fruit juices and sodas. To ensure a healthy mix of culture in our meal, we ordered one 'Egyptian Princess' cocktail – a blend of almond amaretto, vodka, raspberry puree and apple juice (95LE) – and a non-alcoholic mix of fresh guava, apple juice and vanilla syrup: the 'Pyramid Dream' (45LE). For food we ordered a traditional English shepherd's pie (130LE) and a char-grilled beef cheese burger (85LE). The 'Egyptian Princess' cocktail was sweet and delicious with a slight vodka kick, despite the ameretto being overpowered and the promised raspberry puree nowhere in sight. The 'Pyramid Dream' was even sweeter; fresh, thick and refreshing. A small bowls of nuts, tomato bread sticks and salty pretzels kept us nibbling whilst we waited for our food, which took a while. Old English pubs are known for their generous, wholesome meals and when the food did arrive, Darts presented no exception. The burger was considerably large and juicy, served in a lightly toasted sesame seed bun. The mild cheddar cheese was melted onto the burger which, in turn, was doused in and dripping with sauce. Fresh pickles, golden, delicious french fries and coleslaw were served on the side – the creamy coleslaw didn't taste fresh and the cabbage was rather soggy. The shepherd's pie was served in a giant bowl, with a thick layer of melted cheese and smooth, buttery mashed potato on top. The beef mince was swimming in a rich, tomato and gravy sauce, but sadly, not much else. Although it was tasty, we almost requested a spoon as the pie turned into a soup, and a rather boring one at that. Overall, though, Darts does a good job of bringing together English and Egyptian cultures together in one comfortable, traditional pub setting, serving good food and even better cocktails.

...

Situated on a small side street off Brazil Street in Zamalek, L’Aubergine has been around for ages. A long time ago, in the nineties, the restaurant and bar sported a much more laid back look; the upstairs area had walls wonderfully cluttered with posters, photographs and other memorabilia and the low tables and dark tones spoke the language of a no-nonsense bar. On the other hand, the ground floor was mostly overlooked in comparison. However, with the turn of the century and an infatuation with ‘modern sleek’, the upstairs bar was no less than destroyed, replacing the old with newer, and definitely, shinier furniture. As disappointing as this was, the downstairs area also changed, and thankfully for the better.The restaurant on the ground floor oozes warmth as you step in. The terracotta coloured walls speckled with purple and deep red illustrations, the ambient lighting and simple furniture invite you to have a relaxed dinner and drinks. Among the bustling conversations, the service is attentive and quick. The menu hasn’t changed much over the years and would especially cater to vegetarians with many interesting non-meat options such as vegetarian couscous (32LE), ricotta/mint ravioli with yoghurt sauce (34LE), pumpkin kobeiba and their known to be delicious mushroom quartet (38LE).We started with a ruccola and mushroom salad (29LE) and grilled halloumi cheese (32LE). The salad was fresh with big chunks of mushroom and the grilled halloumi had a nice consistency, grilled to perfection, with chopped tomatoes on top that worked very well with the saltiness of the cheese. Bread is served before the meal, and it’s a nice to touch to ask it to be heated.The chicken teriyaki main course (48LE) was tasty, with a slight kick of spice and tender pieces of chicken lathered in teriyaki sauce. The rice could have been a bit smoother and the sauce a little bit lighter, but overall it was enjoyable. The gnocchi with Bolognese sauce (36LE) was also very good, being well seasoned and full of flavour. However, the gnocchi pieces themselves are quite large and could fill you up rather quickly.They serve most alcohols at L’Aubergine, with the actual bar placed upstairs, though. A Heineken beer goes for 31LE, and as the most expensive wine, a glass of Ayam Zaman costs 50LE, while a tequila shot is priced at 50LE. The atmosphere is perfect for Thursday night drinks and a snack, or even a date. The chilled out music makes for a relaxed setting and the overall prices are relatively decent. If you’ve finished your meal and feeling like a little more action, maybe pop up to the upper floor and check out the shiny bar, younger crowds and pumping music. Otherwise, downstairs is the way to go.

...

Cairo 360’s nightlife section is probably its most polarising. It’s no surprise that we get complaints criticising us for promoting drinking and subsequent lewd and uncouth behaviour. But we don’t promote, condone or endorse; we just report. And so whatever these retractors believe, there’s no denying that Cairo’s nightlife scene is growing and evolving – although how long that will continue in the current climate is a mystery. There are several factors to take into account when compiling a list of this nature. Everyone has their favourites and it takes something special to please the eternally unappeasable residents of Cairo. But these are the few bars, pubs and clubs that understand that a good night out is more than just alcohol. Amici Heliopolis It’s been a big year for nightlife in Heliopolis with the arrival of venues such as Cavallini and Roof Bar. But the biggest addition has undoubtedly been Amici. With the original Zamalek branch holding such esteem on the bar scene, Amici Heliopolis had an impossible task in living up to expectations. But to its credit; so far, so good.Alchemy From the brains behind Cairo Jazz Club, Alchemy has opened in 2012 to fanfare. Located in Mohandiseen, the bar-come-restaurant provides Cairenes a nice middle ground in terms of straddling the line of being a full-out club or a modest pub. This is in no way a bad thing; Alchemy has brought a vibrancy and sophistication to the rather scantily nightlife in Mohandiseen. Bar D’O There’s a palpable giddiness in the air at Bar D’O. A lot of the concept bars in Cairo are derivative and Bar D’O is the same. But the difference in this case is that the Zamalek bar does it well. With so much effort put into creating the atmosphere of a New York bar, it’s easy to forget that, when it comes down to it, Bar D’O is just an excellent bar. How much the New York gimmick contributes to that is up for debate. Cairo Jazz Club Yes, the bathrooms are tiny and yes, the staff’s estimation of full-capacity is far too generous, but daily entertainment in the form of DJs and live music, make Cairo Jazz Club an important venue. Why important, you say? Well, over the years, Cairo’s deep pool of musical talent has been stifled because of a lack of suitable venues and so Cairo Jazz Club is much more relevant to music than it gets credit for. There’s only so much flourishing one can do while performing at El Sawy Culturewheel. La Bodega Rumours have been strife, this year, of La Bodega’s imminent shut-down – news that has hit Cairene’s like a ton of bricks. So you might call this choice a nostalgic one. La Bodega has arguably stood still in fast-moving Cairo, but no other bar in the city can quite match the experience. Combining the best of a showy Parisian bar and the slapdash approach of a balady bar, La Bodega would be sorely missed if the rumours are indeed true. L’Aubergine Heliopolis Things started off a bit rocky for L’Aubergine’s Heliopolis branch. Initially limited to beer and wine because of a licensing issues, things have started to pick up pace, just as the nightlife in the area has. Just down the road to the glorified food-court that is Tivoli Dome, this branch combines the atmospheres of the two separate floors of the Zamalek branch and is perfect for a casual get-together. Library Bar Think of every cliché associated with a gentleman’s club. Got it? Brown leather, fireplaces, gaudy carpets, et al.  The Four Seasons First Residence’ Library Bar has it all. But there’s a warmth and sincerity to it – it’s no gimmick. When it comes to cocktails, Library Bar offers well-executed classics and a menu of in-house specials. This year, the bar also added a phenomenal new tapas menu that will have you going back for more.Pub 28A Cairo nightlife veteran, Pub 28 in Zamalek still keeps a loyal following despite all the younger, fresher options popping up all over the island. Dark, smokey and usually packed, 'the pub' – as frequenters generally refer to it – is perfect for a beer and mezzas; their white cheese and tomato dip is the best in town. Tamarai Say what you want about Tamarai, but there’s a reason it’s always packed to the rim. We like to look on the bright side of things, and Tamarai’s location at theNile City Towers, its view of the Nile and the, let's say, interesting décor are far from offensive. Tamarai wouldn’t be so polarising if prices weren’t so fixed at the higher end of the scale, but you generally get what you pay for.Windsor Bar There’s nothing quite like the charm of Downtown Cairo. Windsor Bar reflects all the elegance and style that made Cairo such a hotspot for travellers, intellectuals and artists – back in the day. Like Downtown Cairo, the bar has started showing its age a little, but that has only given more character. With imported beers, wines and spirits, Windsor Bar remains one of the last pure bars in the city. For more nightlife reviews and features on Cairo 360, click here.

...

Rivalling its sister bar in Zamalek, Amici Heliopolis presents a different, slightly more sophisticated vibe for the weekend. We strolled through the unimposing, bland entrance on El Hegaz Street and were surprised – and a little disappointed – about the apparent lack of dance floor, suggesting that this Amici is more about civilised eating, drinking and socialising rather than serious partying. This impression was reflected amongst the crowd and the place seems to attract a mature, affluent and fashion conscious bunch of people.Amici is split into two average sized areas; an indoors section with an long bar, and a covered outdoor section, resembling a conservatory. Both areas are stylish and elegant, with dark walls and square pillars, dimly lit by unusual beaded chandeliers and separated by a large glass wall to create the illusion of continuance and space. We opted to sit in the outdoors area; not only was it warmer but it was slightly less crowded. Curiously, there was a shiny, Amici Vespa parked in the middle of the dining area which kick-started some lively chit chat amongst our group.With a 200LE minimum spend, we prepared ourselves for a feast and apprehensively opened the menus. The front page of the drinks menu lends itself to a short introduction, promoting their famous, masterfully mixed cocktails, prepared with the freshest ingredients. A warning regarding drinking is also included – Amici uses 'larger than usual' measures of alcohol in their drinks, so although the prices might be steeper than usual, the likelihood is that you'll need to buy less than in the average bar if you're looking to get merry. If not, along with a large list of alcoholic drinks, they also serve a range of non-alcoholic cocktails so you don't have to miss out on anything exotic.  After passing around one menu between us, we eventually chose our cocktails; one Amaretto sour (50LE), a pink panther (45LE), a piña colada (50LE) and two juice blends; fresh mint lemonade (30LE) and a vanilla berry (30LE). Most of these were repeated a couple of times throughout the evening, excluding the Amaretto sour which, although it had a smooth, almond foundation, was slightly too sharp for our taste because of the lemon and orange juice – doubtlessly the wrong choice for someone who prefers sweet to sour. The pink panther was better due to the sweet, fresh strawberry and banana mix but still had a strong, bitter kick from the vodka and lemon. The piña colada, however, was a work of art with the perfect pineapple bite, creamy coconut milk and real coconut shavings. The non-alcoholic cocktails were also delicious, fresh and fruity, despite having excessive amounts of crushed ice. We mulled over the choices of food, mainly small, tasty sounding dishes made from a range of red meat, chicken and seafood. Amici also boasts a vast sushi menu, with the choice of three, four or five piece servings, the most expensive costing 45LE. A discount is offered with a set selection of 14 pieces for 110LE-125LE, depending on what is ordered. Leaving the sushi for another night, we ordered a selection of appetisers; crispy shrimp and basil spring rolls (42LE), which were crunchy and fresh, with the added basil making a nice change from standard spring rolls. The shrimp konafa (62LE) was everybody's favourite, complete with a sweet chilli sauce. We were let down by the beef teriyaki (80LE) which was particularly expensive for two, chewy, peppered beef steaks. One thing that should be noted, however, is that the kitchen shuts at 12.30AM – we'll keep that in mind for next time. We felt a little over-dressed in our short skirts and heels ready to boogie but found ourselves content with the amiable atmosphere and we have to admit, the cocktails were pretty damn good – especially compared to others we've tried around Cairo.

...

From the outside, Regina seduced us with blue neon lights surrounding its large, shiny, metal door. Rarely appearing open, other than witnessing people leave at the crack of dawn, this place is certainly one of the more mysterious on the Giza Corniche. Going through a nocturnal phase, we rocked up at Regina at around 1.30AM to find out about the late night parties we'd heard of but never seen.We felt like celebrities as both of the imposing, double doors were swung open upon our arrival. We gingerly entered the spacious lobby and revelled over the floor to ceiling mirrors. We were greeted by a number of staff and informed they were not open for another half an hour but they were more than happy to accommodate us. We were lead through a narrow, mirrored corridor and noticed how things began to get a lot darker, so dark in fact, it took a while for our eyes to adjust. At the end of the tunnel, the room opened up into a huge space with hundreds of candlelit tables spread outwards, backwards and to the sides of us, including raised platforms at the back the majority of which were reserved and began filling up at around 2.30AM. Our minds were made up - Regina was designed for a secret clan of nocturnal vampires. Either that or some serious party animals with no desire to go home at the normal closing time.A large DJ booth is positioned behind the dance floor which we thought was quite small in comparison to the rest of the club. The neon blue lights and mirror theme is continued throughout the club, causing the laser lights from the DJ booth to bounce around like a strobe show. The night we were there, the music was a mixture of Khaleji and English chart music, remixed with dance beats which made a nice change from the usual, repetitive house/trance music that seems to be popular these days. We noticed several people enjoying a shisha, although, the smoke didn't stick around as the place is chilled by a mammoth air conditioning system.      Our tickets were a little on the high side - maybe because it was the weekend - and cost 300LE each. Clocking our perplexed expressions, the waiter explained that the ticket included a dish and non-alcoholic drinks which made us feel a little better. However, when we asked to see a menu, we were told they didn't have one because they serve everything, which was very strange reasoning in our opinion. Anyhow, we ordered a caprese salad - which they didn't have - and subsequently unleashed one of our best 'we told you so' looks to the waiter. After suggesting a couple of options, we decided on a grilled chicken dish, a Greek salad, a non-alcoholic piña colada and a strawberry daiquiri. The drinks arrived and were beyond heavenly. They were both smooth and slushy; the piña colada tasted stongly of fresh coconut and the daquiri tasted like sweet, over ripe strawberries. Although we opted to not pay an extra 150LE per alcoholic cocktail, judging by these, the bar men at Regina know how to mix one.  The food, however, was a different story. The grilled chicken was dry, and called for lashings of tomato ketchup, as did the undercooked chips. The Greek salad was nicely presented but incredibly salty and not as crisp as it should have been; the feta cheese was nice and creamy, but not spectacular enough to save the whole dish.Despite the expense of this place, we were surprised that no dress sense, uh, we mean dress code was enforced. If you're looking for a late night adventure, and are willing to pay highly for it, then Regina could offer you some form of amusement.

...