Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Rithmo: Expect the unexpected
Published in Daily News Egypt on 03 - 12 - 2010

After receiving an invitation to go to a place named Rithmo, I immediately began to imagine a grandiose multi-story dance complex filled with the same old garish nightclub gimmicks — overused smoke machines, lit torches, red curtains where doors should be, and maybe a few tribal dancers — that I've experienced far too many times elsewhere. Knowing absolutely nothing about the venue, I anticipated an excessively gaudy night out.
As you might have already guessed from the title of this piece, Rithmo — a chic bar and lounge found at the five-star Cairo Semiramis InterContinental hotel in Garden City — is not at all what I envisioned.
Touted by the Cairo Semiramis InterContinental's website as a bar to ”see and be seen,” the location is best known for its blending of contemporary western and East Asian motifs, its diverse music selection, and an extensive alcoholic drink selection. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 pm to 4 am, it's exclusively for people looking to enjoy a nice dinner, a few drinks and plenty of dancing.
Or so I assume. When my dinner companion and I arrived at Rithmo at 10 pm on Sunday — Rithmo's ladies' night — the bar to “see and be seen” was completely empty. Our waiter, however, repeatedly mentioned that Rithmo has a huge weekend crowd, and that it is quite difficult to move through the patron-packed lounge on Thursday and Friday nights.
To start us off, our waiter brought us two mojitos (LE 45 each) that had just the right amount of mint, and were served with a gracious quantity of crushed ice — the two most crucial elements of any quality mojito. As an added bonus for my companion, her first mojito was free as part of Rithmo's ladies' night drink special.
Due to the sparse crowd present at the time, Rithmo's usual dance music selection was replaced by pop song covers played at much lower volumes than what I'm told usually pumps out of Rithmo's speakers on busier nights.
Fortunately though, the emptiness of the lounge provided a great view of its lush interior. Just past a very trendy oval-shaped bar lies the main lounge, a stylish yet comfortable environment complete with beautiful wood ceilings, oriental rugs and frosted glass windows. The décor of the lounge, while aesthetically pleasing, is noticeably downplayed to ensure that the focus of the area remains on the individual tables. The low lying tabletops display splashes of red, orange and yellow candlelight, and each seat is different from the next. Guests have the option of laying back in a lavish armchair or low settee, unwinding their bodies against the lounge's fluffy silk cushions.
The kitchen started our meal off with an order of chicken skewers with a single satay dip (LE 50). The bite-sized white meat chicken tasted healthier than most, and the accompanying satay dip was exceptionally tasty. The dip's texture was reminiscent of teriyaki but had a much more subtle, faintly sweet taste that grew stronger after each highly satisfying bite. The camembert pane (LE 30) was cooked to golden brown perfection, and was so delicate that you needed to take extra care when lifting it off the plate to prevent the creamy melted cheese from oozing out from the thin layer of bread crumbs containing it.
The first main course, the beef fillet rubbed in herbs (LE 150) — cooked medium well as per our request — was tender and succulent, and the herbs complemented the meat's rich flavor nicely. The fillet came with a mix of grilled vegetables and French fries, which were of average quality and nothing remarkable. The gourmet platter (LE 150) was composed of a spectacular smoked salmon that was so fresh it tasted as though it was plucked from the ocean moments before we sat down, absolutely perfect jumbo shrimps that were plump and juicy, and an ambiguous fish terrine toast that my dinner partner insisted was chicken.
For dessert, the Temptation (LE 40) was surprisingly disappointing even though it was recommended by several friends of mine. My dinner mate and I both agreed that the brownie was dry, bland, and generally unimpressive. However, the hot, creamy, utterly rich chocolate sauce that was used was truly superb; the sauce was so lusciously addictive that, if it were accompanied by a better brownie, it could easily become one of the best desserts in Cairo.
That title, instead, goes to the crème brûlée (LE 40). Having previously tried the dessert in at least 200 restaurants spread across four different countries, Rithmo's version was unquestionably the greatest crème brûlée I've ever had anywhere. The outer layer of the dessert was the perfect texture, and the cream beneath was soft, smooth, and left us both wanting more. It was a fantastic conclusion to what we both felt was a highly gratifying meal.
After service charges and taxes, our final bill totaled LE 680. Based almost entirely on its LE 200 minimum charge, I would not frequent Rithmo on a regular basis — or at least not on Sunday nights. For special occasions, however, I will definitely return. The atmosphere is exquisite, the cuisine's strengths far outweigh its deficiencies, and our Sunday night service — four servers for two people — was excellent.
Thursday/Friday Tip: If you decide to go on either of these days, a reservation is required and the venue has a strict couples-only entry policy.

Rithmo
11511 Corniche El-Nil
Semiramis InterContinental Cairo
Garden City
Tel: (02) 2795 7171


Clic here to read the story from its source.