The Egyptian dining experience is all about sharing. When you think of it you think of a group of people sitting around a table, sampling plates of succulent food. But I've come to notice that our giving natures are checked at the door of our favorite sushi bars. I had to hold those thoughts in as I watched my friend reach across the table with her chopsticks and pluck out one of my perfectly assorted California Rolls. After all, her Ura Sake Maki looked delicious too. I had a revelation after dining at Bar Sushi; other people s sushi can be as good as yours, so swapping a few pieces can be a good idea. Bar Sushi is one of Concorde El Salam hotel s premiere dining venues. The bar has two main entrances, one through the parking lot outside and the other through the hotel lobby. As we walked in, we were greeted with friendly yet slightly astonished faces. My friend and I were the only ones there, which I later discovered was because it was around 7 pm - just a few minutes after they opened. We found ourselves a table in the corner from where we could appreciate the Japanese ambiance that characterizes the place. Bar Sushi is dimly lit, some of its walls are painted in black, others in red, boasting abstract paintings and built-in aquariums. The diverse seating arrangements will suit all tastes; you can relax on the couches, have a romantic dinner on the little round tables or a quick bite to eat on the high tables and stools. But it's not always so quiet. The two amplifiers near the wooden piano indicated that a lot more than sushi-eating goes on late into the night. A lot more goes on in the kitchen than meets the eye too, as we realized when we looked at the menu, with sushi not the only item on their menu for those who still can't swallow the idea of eating raw fish. The selection varied from the standard sushi platters to Mediterranean appetizers to a selection of pastas. This left my friend and I spoiled for choice between starting with cold appetizers like Hommos, Vine Leaves or Sambousek, or try our luck with their soups. But to avoid filling up on appetizers we decided to dig into the sushi right away. We waited impatiently after we gave our orders of California rolls (6-8) and maki (6 pieces). As my friend and I contemplated the idea of sushi being served at her wedding, our orders arrived to put an end to our predicament: Yes, definitely sushi! The California rolls were carefully arranged next to the maki and luckily it was as easy on our taste buds as it was on our eyes. Both were so fresh and rich you could savor the ingredients individually. They were the perfect size, not too small and not too big for your bite (and we all know that taking bites of your sushi has never proven to be a smart idea). For adventurous eaters, a sushi assortment of is the best bet, where you can pick and choose till you reach the minimum charge. At around 8:30 pm a young man walked in and stood behind a turntable: the DJ had arrived and the music started pumping. I imagined a few hours from now this place was going to look completely different. So pack your favorite chopsticks and head to Bar Sushi. You won't regret it. Bar Sushi Concorde El Salam Hotel Tel: 2622 6000 Open from 7 pm to 3 am
