John Harris
A suburban gem: Despite location, Saffron in 6th of October is a delight
Food
February 3, 2013
A suburban gem: Despite location, Saffron in 6th of October is a delight
Over the years, this column has gone to great lengths to disparage the dining offerings available on Cairo’s suburban fringe.…
Cairo Kitchen arrives in Maadi
Food
January 7, 2013
Cairo Kitchen arrives in Maadi
For one of Cairo’s more cosmopolitan corners, Maadi’s dining options have always seemed a bit banal. There’s plenty of fast…
Faded grandeur: The Virginian may be Cairo’s best-kept secret and its most magnificent view
Life & Style
July 17, 2012
Faded grandeur: The Virginian may be Cairo’s best-kept secret and its most magnificent view
This may be the simplest review I have ever been asked to complete. My experience with this place is unilaterally…
Palas ’85: Gritty Malaysian food in Nasr City
Food
February 23, 2012
Palas ’85: Gritty Malaysian food in Nasr City
Who says that repetition must be bad? Andy Warhol painted Marilyn Monroe endlessly, innovating constantly around the theme. It never…
Samar al-Nil: Ethiopian cuisine in Dokki with a fusion twist
Food
February 3, 2012
Samar al-Nil: Ethiopian cuisine in Dokki with a fusion twist
I thought my understanding of geography was perfect. My map tells me that there’s a line dividing Sudan from Ethiopia,…
Urban planner David Sims explodes myths on Cairo’s dysfunction
Environment
January 12, 2012
Urban planner David Sims explodes myths on Cairo’s dysfunction
What springs to mind when you think of Cairo? The gentility of Zamalek? The bustle of downtown? The mercantile rush…
Flying Fish: Seafood that stands the test of time
Food
January 8, 2012
Flying Fish: Seafood that stands the test of time
I once had a literature professor who claimed never to read books written any time after the era of Jane…
Americani Restaurant Asian Taste: Utterly authentic and surprising Thai
Food
January 3, 2012
Americani Restaurant Asian Taste: Utterly authentic and surprising Thai
Traveling through Bangkok many years ago, I learned firsthand how little resemblance the food served at elegant Thai restaurants bears…
Chop Chop: Quality new Asian concept arrives in Giza
Food
December 5, 2011
Chop Chop: Quality new Asian concept arrives in Giza
Nile Street in Giza between the Four Seasons and Gold’s Gym is one of Cairo’s most prolific dining destinations. Along…
Zo: Making excellent Asian food affordable
Food
November 11, 2011
Zo: Making excellent Asian food affordable
I thought that Tarek Sherif’s Badaboum was the only conglomerate of upper-tier dining establishments in town. Recently walking into Zo,…
Grizzly’s: Competition for Zamalek’s best diner heats up
Food
October 24, 2011
Grizzly’s: Competition for Zamalek’s best diner heats up
Until recently, breakfast enthusiasts from Zamalek were forced to travel off-island to fulfill their morning cravings. Perhaps as a result…
Pizza Mia: Expanding the field for Cairo’s pizza connoisseurs
Food
October 18, 2011
Pizza Mia: Expanding the field for Cairo’s pizza connoisseurs
Pizza is hardly unusual fare in Cairo. Countless cooks, most without a hint of Italian training, purport to serve up…
Sequoia: Is the darling of Zamalek diners worth the hype?
Food
September 21, 2011
Sequoia: Is the darling of Zamalek diners worth the hype?
Reviewing Sequoia, a bastion of Zamalek’s dining scene, presents a problem. It has been endlessly reviewed in the past, in…
Journey to Jamaica: Chilling on one of the Caribbean’s gems
Life & Style
September 15, 2011
Journey to Jamaica: Chilling on one of the Caribbean’s gems
In spite of the gorgeous beaches right on our doorstep, the Caribbean Islands still have a certain allure. The entire…
America, west coast style
Life & Style
September 11, 2011
America, west coast style
America is a well-discovered destination for a lot of Egyptians. Many have friends and family who have emigrated there, making…
Outer Cape Cod: A travel gem hidden in plain sight
Life & Style
August 1, 2011
Outer Cape Cod: A travel gem hidden in plain sight
Cape Cod off the Massachusetts coast has been a travel destination for as long as America has existed. Way back…
Matam Al-Khartoum: A Sudanese outpost downtown
Food
July 11, 2011
Matam Al-Khartoum: A Sudanese outpost downtown
Sudan may have now broken into South Sudan and Sudan but in Cairo, among the Sudanese here, you’d never believe…
Café Mex: A boost to Cairo’s emerging street scene
Food
July 4, 2011
Café Mex: A boost to Cairo’s emerging street scene
The gentrification of 26th of July St. in Zamalek rolls on. Though it still maintains its character, straddling Cairo’s socialist…