Latest news with #SceneEats
CairoScene
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Saudi-Born A/N Tea Opens Quiet New Outpost in Cairo's Zamalek
Saudi-Born A/N Tea Opens Quiet New Outpost in Cairo's Zamalek After opening in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, A/N Tea has made its way to Zamalek, bringing a quietly curated tea menu and simple social ethos to a neighbourhood steeped in its own rhythms. Tea is a relic that somehow never feels outdated and yet, in a world brimming with turmeric lattes and QR-coded cafés, the simple pleasure of a proper cup of tea often gets lost in the froth. Born in the city of Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to celebrate the enduring modesty of tea, A/N Tea is now steeping in a new setting—Zamalek. The tea-focused café opened its second location in the leafy Cairo neighbourhood just six months ago, marking a shift from the Gulf's eastern coastline to the Egyptian capital's island district. Founded by friends Annas Yoseif and Abdullah, A/N Tea began with an offhand idea during one of many casual hangouts in tea shops. 'We were just always hanging around in tea shops. One day we thought, why don't we open our own?' Yoseif tells SceneEats. The first space opened in Khobar with a clear mission: keep it simple, keep it social. That same approach has travelled to Zamalek. The café serves only tea and sandwiches—no trending add-ons, no bubble tea, no matcha foams. Instead, A/N Tea's menu draws from familiar blends like mint, habak, and karak, and includes regional favourites such as maramiya, a Taif-native sage leaf. 'We built our menu around the belief that tea should be drunk as it is,' Yoseif says. The café's Cairo location reflects its low-frills philosophy. Housed in a minimal yet warm space, A/N Tea in Zamalek aims to create room for conversation rather than spectacle. 'The main vision was to create a place that resembles a sort of common ground,' Yoseif explains. 'A place where people from different backgrounds can come and bond over the shared comfort of a good tea. We wanted to create a warm space for everyone. Our branch in Egypt echoes the way people live here - it's so beautiful, everyone appreciates simplicity.' What defines A/N Tea, beyond its limited menu, is its focus on precision. 'We steam the tea leaves so all the flavour comes directly from them,' Yoseif says. 'You'll taste the best tea of your life.' By moving from Khobar to Cairo, A/N Tea hasn't reinvented itself—it has simply planted its model in a new kind of city rhythm. In Zamalek, where quiet conversations and slow days still have a place, its arrival feels less like a disruption and more like a natural pause.
CairoScene
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Rino's Pizza Debuts in Diplo Al Sahel and Cairo is Up Next
Rino's Pizza Debuts in Diplo Al Sahel and Cairo is Up Next 'It all started in my backyard,' Ramy Rainer, founder of Rino's Pizza, tells SceneEats. 'Inviting friends for pizza nights over candle-lit dinners.' For the past three years, Rainer has been buried deep in the world of Neapolitan pizza - reading, researching, even building his own brick oven. What began as a series of cultish Cairo pop-ups has now, somewhat tentatively, found a home. This summer, Rino's is taking up seasonal residency at Diplo 3, Sahel's sun-soaked, see-and-be-seen summer playground. The pop-ups, Rainer admits, always lacked one thing. 'People got the pizza, but not the mood, the full experience of being in the place, feeling the heat of the oven, the energy of the kitchen.' The Diplo branch is an attempt to fix that. 'People have been asking for a 'Rino's place' for so long. I wanted to give them a space, but just for the summer. After Sahel, we'll open in Cairo.' The Diplo space is deliberately pared back: an open-air terrace beneath a vine-wrapped pergola, with Rino's signature terracotta red wrapping the facade and framing the open kitchen - both the physical and emotional centre of the operation. With just six seats, the layout is built for intimacy. A spot for true pizza devotees. Rino's forthcoming Cairo branch, by contrast, will be an entirely different stage. At its centre: a single, hulking brick oven, designed as a kind of live-performance altar where pizza-makers work like theatre actors - flipping dough, coaxing flames, drawing in diners as their audience. 'It's like a movie,' Rainer says. A Neapolitan shrine, of sorts. What's the secret to the perfect Neapolitan dough? Rainer doesn't hesitate. 'Two things,' he says. 'First, fermentation, very specific temperatures, really longgggg time. That's how you get the dough so airy, so light it's almost a cloud.' And the second? 'It's all about the sweet spot, when the crust is just about to burn, but not quite. That's where the flavour lives.' It's not something you time. 'It's in the hands.' And what kind of community does he hope to build at Diplo? 'I just want people who really love Neapolitan pizza, people who get it. It's not about being fancy. It's about quality. The magic is in the details.' That rigour goes far beyond technique. 'We always thrive to use the best ingredients we can get, from the flour, salt, and water in the dough, to the toppings on each pizza. Everything is top-notch. That's what makes the difference.'
CairoScene
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Avec Karim Takes Over the Tea Lounge at Four Seasons First Residence
Avec Karim Takes Over the Tea Lounge at Four Seasons First Residence Avec Karim's culinary experience elevates food into art, and art into a personal archeology - this is more than a dining destination, it's an emotional journey. There are meals that fill the stomach - and then there are meals which stir something deeper. At Avec Karim, dining has always been less about consumption, and more about transformation. Now the immersive culinary experience that garnered a devoted following across Cairo is taking root in the Four Seasons at the First Residence. At the Tea Longue, Avec Karim brings a first-of-its-kind limited edition residency. Built on years of seasonal pop-up experience, this new chapter isn't a story of stasis, but rather a chance to refine the narrative. Where better to settle down than in the iconic Four Seasons. That blend of nostalgic luxury and timeless hospitality is exactly what Avec Karim is about. Just as nature shifts through its seasons, this residency is about growth - both for the brand and for the guest. Avec Karim aims to curate a narrative that doesn't just unfold on the plate, but in the heart of the guest, bringing forth new emotions with each new course, and each new season. 'It's not just a meal,' Avec Karim tells SceneEats. 'It's a meditative experience where the ambiance - soft, inviting, yet profound nostalgia - mirrors the emotional voyage we craft through each dish.' Held weekly, the set tasting menu is less of a list and more of a meditation. Each course is a chapter in 'A Meaningful Journey' - a poetic progression through reimagined Egyptian ingredients, memory, and tradition. Expect familiar flavours presented in the most unfamiliar of ways. 'We're especially excited about courses that challenge the perception of contemporary Egyptian gastronomy,' Avec Karim shares. 'Where flavour becomes a portal to curiosity, or even discomfort - because growth often lies beyond the familiar.' With seasonal changes and spontaneous creations, the menu is a living narrative of the cultural and physical landscape that informs it. Whilst the core themes of introspection will remain, guests can return again and again without the risk of monotony. 'We want returning guests to find something familiar yet unexpected - like revisiting a place and seeing it anew.' Every detail is deliberate. From the ingredients to the ceramics and linens, each element is handpicked to curate a scenography. The result is cinematic. Moments of quiet introspection are succeeded with bursts of joy, and perhaps even melancholy. People who come to Avec Karim don't want a meal - they want meaning. 'They might be adventurers, artists, or simply curious souls, but they share a hunger for authenticity. Above all, they understand that dining can be a portal - not just to a culture, but to themselves.'
CairoScene
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Is It a Mochi? Is It a Donut? New Cairo Café Says: 'Why Not Both?"
Is It a Mochi? Is It a Donut? New Cairo Café Says: 'Why Not Both?" Shops have pushed the humble glazed donut to its limits - cronuts, doughkies, duffins. But the mochi donut? That one we didn't see coming. Over the past few years, the dessert world has gone hybrid. We've seen the rise of the cruffin, the crookie, the brookie, and the cheesecake brownie. The humble glazed donut? It's been through the wringer - transformed into cronuts, doughkies, duffins, and even those questionably healthy apple-ring imitations. Enter the mochi donut: the chewy-crispy-fluffy Franken-dessert you didn't know you needed. What might sound like a niche mashup has quietly taken over dessert menus across the U.S., fusing the bounce of mochi with the deep-fried satisfaction of a classic donut. And now, it's landed in Cairo. MochiDo, which opened a few months ago in EDNC, SODIC, is the first café in Egypt dedicated to this peculiar and oddly satisfying treat. But in a sugar-soaked world overflowing with six-syllable inventions, one has to ask: why all the innovation? Can't we just stick to cookies and brownies? Mohammed Medan, co-founder of MochiDo, doesn't think so. 'People are never satisfied,' he tells SceneEats. 'It's in our nature to constantly search for something new - especially when it comes to dessert.' In a classic 'hear me out' pitch, Medan brought the idea to his sisters. There was hesitation at first - but eventually, they went all in. And when we say 'all in,' we mean it: creating MochiDo required significant investment in specialized (and expensive) equipment, not to mention sourcing niche ingredients. 'The entire setup - from concept to production - took two years,' he adds. For the uninitiated, Japanese mochi is a bite-sized dessert made from rice flour, tapioca, and coconut milk, steamed to achieve its signature chew. At MochiDo, that dough is shaped into rings and deep-fried, resulting in a crispy exterior and an elastic, cloud-like centre. The Japanese-American fusion extends to the drinks menu, too: think boba, sago, and single-origin coffee. A colorful lineup includes date-banana almond boba, tamarind-ginger iced tea, sobia taro, and lychee hibiscus - all served in a space drenched in playful purples, greens, and pops of color. 'We wanted the interior to feel as fun and expressive as the menu,' says Medan. So next time you're craving something sweet - but don't quite know what - it might be time to give the mochi donut a shot. It's chewy. It's crispy. It's weird. And it works.
CairoScene
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Egypt's Grill Setup Is Touching Down In Dubai
Apr 17, 2025 There's a certain philosophy Muhammad Aboul Abbas seems to live by: If it ain't broke, launch it into the stratosphere. Or better yet, onto a helipad. After three wildly successful years of Grill Setup redefining outdoor food culture in Egypt, Abbas is taking his fire-fuelled, meat-loving, community-building brainchild global - starting with Dubai on April 19th. And he's not exactly easing into it. 'Dubai is only the start. We are planning to expand in Saudi, Lebanon, and across the MENA region,' Abbas tells SceneEats, already plotting future takeovers in Saudi, Lebanon, and across the MENA region. But before the region bows before the BBQ gods, Dubai gets first dibs - and they've snapped them up. Early access tickets sold out before anyone even officially said a word. Just the whiff of a sizzling brisket on a helipad had the WhatsApp groups on fire. 'We chose Helipad because this is a destination that looks like us,' Abbas tells SceneEats. 'It's an amazing starting point for our launch in Dubai.' So what exactly is Grill Setup Dubai serving? In three words? Food. Family. Fun. In a few more? BBQ, bangers, booze, and beats. Let's start with the food, shall we? This is a food magazine, after all. Think flame-grilled burgers, sticky BBQ drumsticks, fall-apart brisket, juicy chorizo sausages, and Korean flanken slices - the kind of meat that deserves its own Michelin star. For those keeping it international, there's nachos. For those keeping it shameless, there's second (and third) helpings. Food runs from 4PM to 7PM, and yes, elasticated pants are highly recommended. But before the feast begins - cue the free-flowing open bar from 2PM to 4PM. Because what's a pre-game without a perfectly chilled cocktail - bonus points if it's (basically) free. And if you've wrapped your meal but not your night, Grill Setup's got the soundtrack covered. The lineup blends regional and international talent, with Brazilian DJ Barbara Boeing bringing warm, sun-drenched sets; Egyptian duo Gawdat delivering their signature house grooves; and Wassim Bou Malham - Lebanese tastemaker and founder of Soul Kitchen - rounding it out with a curated mix built for long nights and late bites. 'There is still potential in the market in Dubai for day events such as these,' Abbas explains. 'It's all about food, family, and drinks. This is something new. Something totally different.' Forget velvet ropes and bottle service. This is a different kind of Dubai experience. Grill Setup is lowkey luxury, flavour-first fun, and classy cool - a daytime escape that doesn't need to try too hard because it is that good. So, come for the food, stay for the music, and leave with a full stomach, happy heart, and a phone gallery full of golden-hour pics of South Bay. Grill Setup Dubai. April 19th. On a helipad. You in?
