Great food and tasty shisha, good music and hot people watching, but stop at the bank first CAIRO: When visiting Sangria, make sure to have a well-filled wallet or generous friend, a big appetite, and a craving for shisha and good tunes. Located in the heart of Cairo with a magnificent Nile view, Sangria is a superb spot for your Ramadan late nights, Wednesday night business dinner, or Friday night cocktail get-together. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and as a people-watching vantage, it is one of Cairo's best. Add to all that the super-comfortable couches, plush pillows, the formidable décor, and low-lit Arabian night atmosphere. And the great music mix of Amr Diab, Barry White, and Nancy Ajram doesn't hurt either. This year, Sangria features a special Ramadan section in its garden with colorful couches and tables. In addition to the inviting seating arrangement, each table is provided with a TV featuring the most popular channels. Traditional Ramadan dishes are served in generous portions in a 'loungy' and comfortable atmosphere; it's perfect for guests intending an extended stay. Sangria's indoor restaurant and outdoor terrace remain open during Ramadan to those guests interested in ordering from the regular menu, which features a wide range of international dishes with a Middle Eastern flair. The starters are excellent, especially the various dips and traditional Lebanese mezze. The seafood starters are also highly recommend, particularly the calamari with sweet and sour sauce. Sangria also offers a fabulous selection of main courses from a number of different cuisines such as al dente Italian pasta, spicy Turkish beef and chicken shawermas, Mediterranean seafood dishes, as well as good old American burgers. Most recently, an internationally renowned sushi chef was brought onboard to cater to the needs of guests craving sushi and Japanese cuisine. After dinner, make sure to order one of Sangria's tasty and sweet desserts and a shisha because it is certainly one of the best in town. The apple and cantaloupe shishas at Sangria are irresistible even to a non-smoker like me. Sangria attracts a mixed clientele of upper class young Cairenes and foreigners of all ages. After dining in the restaurant's Asian themed décor, one can have a drink or two at the garden bar before heading out for the night. While the restaurant usually features a DJ later in the night, Sangria doesn't really have a dancing atmosphere due to the large space. Instead, people tend to head downstairs to club Absolute to dance to the latest house beats and Arabic pop after finishing drinks at the upstairs bar. Whether you are intending to dine at Sangria's garden restaurant or dance the night away at Absolute, reservations are a must at both places. Both restaurants at Sangria fill up quickly and Absolute sometimes gets so crowded that it even makes dancing a bit challenging. Sangria is at, Casino El-Shagara, Corniche El-Nile (across from the World Trade Center and Conrad hotel). For reservations call (02) 579 6511.
