Sohour Done Right

Ramadan is a month of spirituality, holiness and depriving one’s self of temptation. In Egypt, Ramadan is also a month of late nights, gathering of friends and new, hot spots. While the meal of iftar is usually reserved for family members, the second meal of the day, only a few hours after, is a time to meet up with friends during the late hours of the night and enjoy an oriental feast that will hopefully keep you going till next day’s sunset. If you’re wondering where you can go for sohour, then we’ve got you covered with our rundown of the best places to enjoy the late night meal. Shishawy If that 7 pm meal didn’t fill you up, then head to this open-air lounge for sohour. Located on the second floor of the Kempinski Nile Hotel in Garden City, Shishawy offers a wide variety of dishes for LE 120 per person. Indulge in an array of mezzah dishes, then choose from the main dishes of kofta, shawerma and other delicious options and finish with one of their oriental desserts such as om Ali, konafa and ba’lawa. Top it all off with a choice from one of their exotically flavored shisha. Shishawy • Kempinski Nile Hotel • 12 Ahmed Ragheb Street • Corniche El Nil • +2 (02) 2794-5834 Bab El Nil A popular spot for sohour in Ramadan is Bab El Nil, an outdoor terrace overlooking a panoramic view of the Nile at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel. The restaurant, decorated with iconic pop-art images of Egyptian stars of the silver screen, serves Syrian cuisine and offers a two-course sohour menu ranging from LE 130 to LE 220. While keeping up with your favorite soap operas of the month on Bab El Nil’s giant LCD screens, enjoy their fusion menu plus some oriental favorites. Bab El Nil • Fairmont Nile City Hotel • Corniche El Nil • Tel. +2 (02) 2461-9494 Ramadana When one thinks of the typical Ramadan atmosphere, a place like Tamarai rarely comes to mind. But this year, Cairo’s famous hot spot is switching out its party mode for a more relaxed, traditional one as it hosts the Ramadana tent. At this place, the food comes second to the atmosphere as they combine tradition with a modern day twist. Ramadana • Nile City Towers • Corniche El Nil • Downtown • Tel. +2 (02) 2461-9910 Na2Na2a For a less traditional, and more out of the box sohour experience, head over to Na2Na2a. This little place in the heart of Korba may seem a bit cramped, but what they offer makes up for their small size. Na2na2a takes you back to your childhood days, with old school games like the electric fishing game, foosball and a large collection of board games. The colorful menu that spins around and includes items such as a’saleya, collection of candy popular in the 90’s and popcorn make for a perfectly cheerful ambiance. Some of their Ramadan specials include traditional drinks such as amar al deen served inside an ‘ola, hawawshey or shawerma and konafa sticks served with cream cheese. Na2Na2a • 3 Thawra Street • Korba • Heliopolis • Tel. +2 (02) 2290-2831 Al Hussein Most of these so called Ramadan tents mimic the atmosphere of the traditional neighborhoods of Egypt, so if you’re looking for a truly authentic sohour experience then stop by Al Hussein area for a late night meal. During Ramadan, the area is lit up with festive lights and fanoos (Ramadan lanterns). At Al Hussein, you have an array of choices for food with all of the small restaurants lined up across Khan al Khalili area from sweet or sour feteer, perfectly spiced foul, and larger meals of sogo’u or fatta.