For all that Cairo's nightlife has to offer in terms of swanky clubs, jazz bars, pubs and baladi bars as well as cabarets, Egypt's wines have long been unappreciated. Sure, you can order a glass of wine at many of the city's nightspots, but the selection is usually small, the bottles are often not stored properly and wine feels like little more than an afterthought. However, all this has changed with the opening of Rouge, Egypt's first wine and sushi bar. Having only recently opening in Mohandiseen's Swiss Hotel, Rouge caters exclusively to Cairo's wine-loving crowd, serving the entire collection of Gianaclis Wines as well as international labels (upon request) and sparkling wine cocktails. The list of wines is accompanied by a menu of sushi, mezzas and cold plates. Rouge's atmosphere is appropriate for a wine bar, even if it feels a bit stuffy. Dark wooden shelves showcase a variety of wines on offer, such as Omar Khayyam and Cape Bay. Rich red carpet and upholstery, soft jazz music and dim candlelight give Rouge a distinctly refined tone, but a few touches prevent the mood from becoming too pretentious, such as wallpaper designed to look like a collage of vintage wine labels, and wall sconces of wine glasses. We love that Rouge serves glasses of wine (ranging from LE 30 to LE 40) that would normally only be sold by the bottle at a restaurant. So if you're curious about Ayyam wine or want to treat yourself to a bubbly cocktail (ranging from LE 50 to LE 55); now is your chance to indulge. And don't worry about not getting your money's worth; Rouge's pours are deep! From the cocktail selection, we especially like the French 75 cocktail (LE 50) with Butler's gin, Aida sparkling wine, sugar and lemon. The drink has a light and refreshing taste, but if you're looking for a weaker drink, this isn't your best bet. The strawberry champagne cocktail (LE 50) has less strength, but we were rather put off by the vanilla flavor mixed with the sparkling wine and strawberry juice. We do think it was unnecessary for Rouge to jump on Cairo's sushi craze; we find that many of Egypt's wines overpower the delicate flavors of raw fish. However, the nigiri was fresh and prepared well, ranging from LE 6 to LE 8 apiece, while maki rolls are mostly in the low LE 40-range and sashimi plates are similarly priced. We recommend sticking with a bottle of sparkling wine (LE 150) or glass of white wine. If you're looking for more robust flavors at Rouge; you can't go wrong with the cheese platter (LE 55). The plate is filled with slices of salty Gruyere and semi-hard goat's cheese, cubes of pungent Swiss and wedges of creamy Roquefort and gooey Brie. Served with dark table grapes, the imported cheeses are really pleasing. Aside from a few odd choices on the menu, Rouge has a good thing going. The wine bar will be a welcome destination to anyone seeking a quiet, sophisticated night out in Cairo. Best bit Rouge's focus on wine (and cheese) won us over. Worst bit The location in Mohandiseen's Swiss Hotel makes it easy to miss. 360 Tip If you want to learn about the wines at Rouge, each table is set with a packet of information cards about the Gianaclis wines. Address: 7 Hegaz Square, The Swiss Inn Hotel, Mohandiseen, Cairo. Telephone: 02-3748-8994 This article was contributed to Daily News Egypt by Cairo360 www.cairo360.com
