Upon entering, the restaurant's outer dining area was bedecked in holiday decorations. Strung white lit "crescent moons and stars" (symbols of Islam) were hung along the trees of the back patio gardens. Brightly colored Egyptian cotton materials were draped over canopied tents. Truly, a festive sight!
We chose to eat outdoors and be amid the festivities. Therefore, our waiter led us to the back terrace, where cushioned wicker chairs were clustered together for shisha, and large flat screen tvs were stationed near the bar and seated corners of the property. Our table for 3 was set under branches of gaily decorated mango trees. Low strains of Middle Eastern music played softly in the background.
During Ramadan, Iftar is a festive scene as locals gather to break the fast.
After dinner beverages and desserts were set up under this canopied tent which offered hot tea, coffee, customary Kamar el Din (apricot juice), and traditional Iftar sweets such as Kunafa, Kataief, and Khushaf. These confections were made up of dates, apricots, black plums & raisins. During Iftar, Muslims begin with apricot juice and lentil soups when fast is broken to ease the day's fasting with liquids, before delving into their next course of assorted meats (sans pork!!), green salads, torchy (pickled vegetables), macaroni pasta, basati rice, and yogurt salads such as tahini and baba ganoush.
And then there were non-Egyptian diners like Melinda, Me, and Wendy who ordered off the "ex-pat" menu. LoL. I met these two kRazEe galz during my first week in Egypt, and we've been laughing and joking ever since. They are hilarious! It was nice getting together with them, since their respective family obligations rarely allow us a girlz night out. Our dinner outing was so much fun, that we promised to do it again next month. Mnnnn, I wonder what new restaurant we'll try out then?
Masalama (Good-bye!)
