Latest news with #Cairene
CairoScene
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
We Tried The Only Iraqi Restaurant in Dokki
Finally, a restaurant so generous it's making our grandma feel stingy. Jul 12, 2025 We had the pleasure of experiencing a rare culinary phenomenon in Dokki: food that tastes like it came straight out of someone's home kitchen, but isn't. Abu Abdallah Al-Iraqi serves meat dolma and chicken quzi so lovingly made, so clean in flavour and intent, it momentarily tricks the brain. You're not in a restaurant—you're at your grandmother's table. Only in this case, your grandmother happens to be Iraqi. This kind of meal is unusual in Cairo's dining scene—not because the food isn't good, but because most seasoned Cairene eaters have a more reliable system: the international friendship circuit. According to extensive field research conducted by myself (and, before that, my friends before me), you need a lot of friends to survive Cairo. Not for emotional support or career networking—though sure, that helps—but because someone's mother is always cooking, and the more diverse your friend group, the more literal that 'taste of the world' becomes. The best dinner calendars involve a rotating menu of homemade Palestinian maqluba, Sudanese aseeda, Syrian yalanji, and so on. It's not just a social life—it's a strategy. But every once in a while, a dine-out option emerges that can rival that home-cooked warmth. Abu Abdallah Al-Iraqi is one of them.
CairoScene
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Koojeh is Rewriting the Rules of Persian Dining in Riyadh
We caught up with the mastermind behind Koojeh, Ahmed Aldhubaib, to uncover its story, his Paella Pop-up past, and how he aims to redefine the Saudi fine dining scene. At Koojeh, a new Persian restaurant tucked into a quiet stretch of Riyadh, there's a palpable reverence for the primal pleasures of fire, fat, and lamb. Smoke coils upward from open charcoal grills, clinging to the rafters and perfuming the space. Yet for all its historical underpinnings, Koojeh isn't nostalgic. It plays more like a masterful remix of old flavours refracted through a local, contemporary Saudi lens. I first stumbled across Koojeh on one of my late-night outings with two friends, former Cairene companions now firmly claimed by the Saudi corporate machine. We were on yet another nocturnal forage for a spot the algorithm hadn't already chewed up when we found it. True to its name (which means 'alleyway' in Persian), we were greeted by a cosy interior and wooden tables decorated with vintage silverware, which felt like stepping into someone's home, or rather, a hole-in-the-wall diner within the quarters of Tehran or Shiraz. 'That word 'koojeh' represents discovery, warmth, and the charm of everyday gatherings. That's exactly what we wanted the restaurant to feel like: intimate, rich in character, and accessible to everyone,' says the owner, Ahmed Aldhubaib, the genial, old-school chef behind the concept. He glides between busy tables, greeting diners with the history behind Persian cuisine and his family's culinary traditions. The first dish to land on our table was the Kubideh, the restaurant's inspired take on a street-food staple and reportedly its most ordered item: a skewer of ground lamb, mixed only with onion and salt, grilled until it trembles under its own weight. It's a dish that punishes shortcuts and rewards patience. 'It's frustrating how little care is given to local ingredients. Most restaurants use imported meat,' Ahmed tells us, 'but we work directly with a designated group of local shepherds. We source the livestock 10 days before preparation, and ensure they're freely grazed on a premium diet to optimise tenderness and flavour.' But before his restaurant debut wiry Koojeh, Aldhubaib was first known to Riyadh's foodies through Paella pop-up, a cloud kitchen concept that was born from his family's weekend feasts which, somewhat improbably, turned into a runaway hit. Paella went from humble farmers' markets to national TV, and eventually securing him a recurring spot at Riyadh Season's Boulevard World for four consecutive years. 'We've always cherished the moments food creates - how a well-prepared meal brings people together, sparks conversations with strangers, and builds lasting memories,' he reflects. 'We're here to tell Saudi stories through Persian food, and to prove that world-class dining can come from local roots, not imported trends.' If the paella was theatrical - 'a performance dish,' as he called it - Koojeh is something else: distilled, thoughtful, and devotional. It tells the story of his homeland and its dining culture through a Persian grill lens. 'It all started with my regular weekend feasts with the family. I wanted to create a space as warm and intimate as our gatherings, somewhere intimate, rich in character, and accessible.' Aldhubaib tells SceneNowSaudi. 'I was drawn to the Persian cuisine for its emphasis on simplicity, patience, and tradition. It's just a few ingredients, cooked right.' Midway through demolishing the lamb - still trembling off the bone - another dish arrived: the Joojeh, a chicken marinated for 48 hours in iqt (a traditional dehydrated yoghurt) and musky saffron. It came charred and tender, tasting of smoke and sunshine at once, an edible chiaroscuro: deep, bright, and fleeting. I was battling demons to eat intuitively and savour it to the last bite that my investment in helping my friend decode the one-liner texts of her situationship was long forgotten. In a country where the dining scene is mostly dominated by global franchises and Gulf-wide restaurant groups, Koojeh offers a counterpoint: a refreshing fine-dining experience that won't cost an arm and a leg. 'Balancing quality and affordability was the hardest part,' Aldhubaib admits. 'But we didn't want excellence to be exclusive. If the food isn't exceptional, we won't serve it." During one of his too many stops at our table, Aldhubaib shared with us some of the kitchen's confidential anecdotes. Since opening, Koojeh has expanded rapidly, with a second location already running and a third on the way. On any given evening, the dining room hosts a curious spectrum - government officials, food influencers, schoolteachers, and families celebrating milestones. Somehow, it has become a place for everyone. For Koojeh's future, Aldhubaib has big dreams: regional expansion, a platform for Saudi culinary talent, and a vision to 'redefine the Saudi F&B scene.' But the restaurant's true charm lies in its modesty. Koojeh doesn't dazzle with fire tricks or foam. Instead, it leans into something far more disarming: quiet mastery, deep sourcing, and excellent lamb. We ended the meal with a soft, fragrant dessert - rose milk with saffron and pistachio, dusted with irtah, a rare, nearly forgotten desert herb Koojeh sources from local Saudi markets. Still, the dish that lingered longest with me was the Kubideh, and how the sneaky underlying spiciness complemented the meat in all sorts of interesting ways. But more than that, you taste precision - a vision of what Persian food in Saudi Arabia might become when filtered through memory, fire, and just a bit of salt.
CairoScene
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Where Weave Meets Wheels: Kahhal 1871's New Visual Statement
Where Weave Meets Wheels: Kahhal 1871's New Visual Statement Kahhal 1871, a family-run rug house with roots stretching back over a century, is known for its handwoven rugs and generational commitment to traditional production. Founded in Cairo and still operated by the family today, the brand continues to draw from regional techniques while expanding its visual language for new contexts and audiences. In the spirit of embracing the new while staying grounded in the old, Kahhal 1871 quite literally laid its legacy down in a bold visual campaign aimed at a new generation. In an arresting scene, skaters glide through a concrete bowl lined with Persian and Cairene rugs, bringing movement to centuries-old patterns. 'We decided to stop just talking about heritage and start using it as a tool to move forward,' says Mohamed El Kahhal, Managing Director of Kahhal 1871, reflecting on the mindset shift that has shaped the brand's recent direction. While this visual statement isn't tied to a specific rug collection, it signals the spirit that will inform future releases. Directed by Intuition and styled by Be-Indie, the short visual features three generations of skaters weaving across the rugs, turning the pieces into part of the performance. 'It's about placing the intricacy of heritage design in a modern setting and showing the durability of our rugs, even under the wheels,' El Kahhal explains. Though long recognised for preserving traditional craftsmanship, Kahhal 1871's engagement with contemporary culture is not new. In recent years, the brand has collaborated with a range of modern artists and designers, blending time-honoured weaving with modern aesthetics. Collaborators have included Aliaa El Geredy, Pillar Zeta, and El Seed, each bringing a distinct voice to the traditional weave. The brand's work with fashion label Okhtein extended this dialogue further, merging Kahhal 1871's tactile sensibility with Okhtein's signature use of motifs. The collaboration explored how design—whether worn or woven—can carry shared codes of identity, ornament, and texture. More than a visual experiment, the broader approach is about prompting designers to ask the right questions. As El Kahhal puts it, 'The goal is staying relevant to today's culture, because it's the only way forward.' For the brand, that means engaging younger generations by incorporating contemporary visions into a centuries-old medium.
CairoScene
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Pulitzer-Winning Photographer Michael Chávez on Cairo's Photo Scene
'Photography is more visible than ever online, but how do these photographers sustain it financially?' says the photojournalist. May 15, 2025 'I've always had a soft spot for Cairo, so to be here and see what Cairene photographers are doing right now, it's pretty exciting,' American photojournalist and educator Michael Robinson Chávez tells CairoScene during Cairo Photo Week. Chávez is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and a veteran visual storyteller whose work has taken him to over 75 countries. He has covered a wide range of global events, from the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution to the collapse of Venezuela and the impacts of climate change across Siberia and the Bay of Bengal. His photography is known for its blend of journalistic depth and lyrical composition, earning him recognition for both his coverage and the emotional depth of his images. Throughout the week, Chávez has wandered through the packed halls and side-street venues of Cairo Photo Week, taking in the rhythm of a city captured through hundreds of different lenses. He has spent time with young Egyptian photographers, listening to how they frame their stories and the challenges they face turning their craft into a career. He notes a shift that feels significant. There is a growing support system that did not exist a decade ago. Resources like grants, workshops, and mentorships are beginning to reach photographers outside traditional gate-kept circles. For many, this is the first time they are seeing their work not only taken seriously, but exhibited publicly, discussed in critique sessions, and included in wider conversations about visual culture in the Arab world. 'There's a paradox,' he says. 'Photography is more visible than ever online, but how do these photographers sustain it financially? That's still a big question.' For Chávez, that question lingers. But so does the sense of momentum.
Euronews
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Serbia's President Vučić visits Moscow amid EU criticism
Approaching the residence of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Egypt in the upmarket Cairo suburb of Heliopolis, a white smoke seemed to rise from the garden into the city's haze. However, the sound of stone masonry tools emanating from behind the gate soon clarified that it was just dust coming from a saw cutting paving stones for the renovation of the residence's expansive and well-tended gardens. Later on Wednesday, as the eyes of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics – and those of many others – were fixated on St Peter's Square, the infamous black smoke rose from the chimney. No candidate had secured the necessary two-thirds majority. Over to round two. Back in Cairo, Monsignor Claudio Lurati, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria, which serves as the primary jurisdiction for Roman Catholics in Egypt, seemed to enjoy the process from afar. 'It is totally unpredictable,' he smiles. The region that encompasses the Middle East and North Africa is home to only around 1% of the world's Catholics, but maintains an integral role both spiritually and politically for the Church, not least as it encompasses the Holy Land. It is also home to seven different denominations of Catholics, as well as many other non-Catholic communities. Speaking to Euronews away from the Cairene heat in the shade of his residence, Monsignor Lurati postulated that this conclave could take days. 'We don't see really clear parties. So this may make the process long. People might be freer to follow their conscience and what I believe the Holy Spirit will inspire them to do,' he told Euronews. 'They also need some basic time to know each other,' he adds. This is the first time that many of the 133 cardinals from 70 countries at the conclave have met in person, of whom 108 were appointed by the late Pope Francis. This has led to sometimes strange scenes of perplexed cardinals being hounded by the microphones and cameras of the world media around Rome and inside Vatican City. The fanfare around the election of a new pope has not eclipsed the memory of the revolutionary and, for some, controversial papacy of Pope Francis, especially in the Middle East. 'I think Pope Francis' pontificate will be fondly remembered in Islamic-Christian relations for the praxis of interreligious dialogue,' explains Father Michael O'Sullivan. Father Michael has worked across the region for decades, including as rector of Notre Dame D'Afrique, an imposing basilica jetting out from the Algerian capital into the Mediterranean, and as director of the Maison D'Abraham interfaith centre in Jerusalem. More recently, he coordinated the late pontiff's historic visit to the UAE, helping organise a Mass garnering 180,000 worshippers. Francis co-signed the historic Abu Dhabi declaration on interfaith cooperation with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo — widely considered to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought and jurisprudence. In an interview with Euronews from his home in Ireland, Father Michael reiterated that 'relations between (the region) and the Holy Father were very warm.' However, he admitted that this 'was not without some controversy'. The more conservative among the clergy questioned some elements of the Abu Dhabi agreement, Father Michael said. 'There's almost a Quranic quotation in this papal declaration, which I suppose conservatives in the Catholic Church weren't happy about.' For Catholics in the region, the chance to elect a new pope seems to be a road to Damascus for the Church. A few hundred metres down Beirut Street, away from the Roman Catholic residence, lies the Melkite St Cyril Church. The first church to be erected in the area, when it was built in 1910, it now lies behind high walls. Two bored-looking police officers nonchalantly fiddled with their machine guns outside, a nod to the series of church bombings in the last ten years that are still lodged in Egyptian Christians' psyche. Inside sits Father Rafic Abouna, the Church's priest for over three decades, and the former spokesman for the Vatican in Egypt. The room was dark, only lit by dappled sunlight. 'It's the day of the conclave and they cut the electricity,' he laughs. After a brief yet animated discussion about the correct usage of church titles, Father Rafic quickly sets out to state what he hopes will be maintained from Pope Francis' papacy and what he hopes will not. He praises the late pontiff's dedication to protecting refugees, whose tenure oversaw the rise of extremist Islamist politics and terrorism in the region, forcing a wave of refugees – including hundreds of thousands of Christians – to flee their homes, often heading west. In Egypt, the interregnum between former President Hosni Mubarak and the incumbent Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was marred, in Father Rafic and Monsignor Lurati's eyes, by instability and danger caused by the brief rule of the Muslim Brotherhood. 'At least 100,000 Christians that I know of fled,' Rafic claims, adding that they were largely from the 'elites' and were now 'returning' to what they see as a more stable nation. The Melkite priest lamented Western countries' increasingly hostile policies toward migrants, and singled out US vice president and Catholic convert JD Vance's recent visit with Pope Francis, a fierce and outspoken critic of the US administration, whose immigration policies he described as 'an ugly thing … a disgrace'. 'I don't think JD is a good representative for Christianity,' he tells Euronews, adding that he thought the pope looked very unimpressed with the visit. The pope died a day later. However, Vance wasn't the only senior US politician in his sights. 'Biden was just as bad,' he exclaims. 'Any Catholic who can accept abortion is not a real Catholic,' he exclaimed. This points to a wider sticking point for Father Rafic and many other Christians in the region. Some of the faithful believe that Christians in the Middle East and North Africa tend to be more conservative compared to what the Church now extols as its values, especially during Pope Francis' reign. Meanwhile, others would prefer a more progressive pontiff, who would continue what they say is much-needed reform that Pope Francis took on. Father Rafic hits back at any 'political' description of the church. 'I would not use the terms liberal or conservative. It's a question of moral discipline'. However, he suggests that 'two forces influenced Pope Francis,' pressuring him into a more integrated social policy on issues of gender and sexual identity, namely the increasingly liberal German Catholic Church and former Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. 'They were very good friends, he was always in Rome,' Rafic says of the latter. 'Insiders know he was important in Pope Francis' decision to bless same-sex couples'. The papal decree led to an unprecedented contestation of papal authority from dioceses worldwide, notably in the Middle East. Monsignor Lurati disagrees. 'I think he did play a big role in bringing forward and speeding up a process that was already taking place. The one of making the Church really universal and international.' 'It was already happening. But definitely he sped up the process.' Focusing on the incoming pope, however, Father Rafic was confident that 'all of these social issues will go away.' The incoming pontiff will have many issues on his plate from around the world, but conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa may well dominate his duties. The conflict in Lebanon, which is home to the highest percentage of Christians in the region, remains on edge with the Hezbollah militia refusing to give up its arms and Israel continuing to strike. While Father Michael hoped that Hezbollah and Iran's 'clipped wings' might help bring stability, he thought parts of the region were still at 'boiling point'. In neighbouring Syria, recent months have seen violence afflict various communities. While Christians have been spared so far, Father Rafic – whose Melkite denomination is rooted in Lebanon and Syria – says many have already fled, including to his church. 'We look after them, and they look after us,' he smiles. Then there is South Sudan, the world's youngest country, whose relatively short history has been 'marked by poverty and conflict,' newly appointed Bishop Christian Carlassare explained to Euronews from his diocese in the city of Bentiu. 'It is not actually a poor country, because resources are abundant. But people live poorly because of so much instability and violence. Corruption is also rampant.' Some observers think understanding these conflicts could give Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, an edge in the conclave. Pizzaballa gained global attention for offering to switch places with a child hostage in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas 7 October attacks and holding a mass for the 700 remaining Christians in the Strip in December 2024. The people Euronews spoke to in the region were less sure, citing his young age – a sprightly 60 – for one. But none of it is personal, they say. For them, it was less about background or personality than the values the new pope will represent. 'As we experience so much injustice and violence, we need a church leader that may keep indicating God and his gospels' values as the only way towards reconciliation and peace,' Bishop Carlassare concluded. Walking out of his unlit residence back into the fierce Egyptian sun, Father Rafic refuses to speculate on who may become the new pope. 'There are always surprises with the Lord and the Holy Spirit,' he smiles, one eyebrow slightly raised. Just one day after the European Parliament adopted a stark resolution on Serbia's European integration, criticising the Western Balkan country's non-compliance with the EU's foreign policy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić travelled to Moscow. Vučić's departure to the military parade on Red Square in honour of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany was dramatic in its own right. First, Latvia banned the overflight of the Serbian government plane. Then the route was changed to Turkey and Azerbaijan, where the plane had to wait in Baku for permission to continue its journey. Upon his arrival in Moscow, Vučić stated that he knew that criticism from Brussels would follow, as well as that he expected the EU to "punish him, and not Serbia". In a separate development, Serbian students running an ultramarathon reached Strasbourg. On Tuesday, the student protest movement, which started over the deadly train station awning collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, requested snap parliamentary elections, which were supported by the majority of the opposition but not by the ruling party. This is the thirteenth stop of the ultramarathoners on their way to Brussels, where they should arrive next Monday, to present their view of the current political and social situation in Serbia to MEPs, to whom they will hand over the letters of their colleagues from Serbia. Previously, students travelled by bicycle from Belgrade to Strasbourg, all in an attempt to draw European officials' attention to the situation in Serbia. "It wasn't hard and I think it shows in us. The road we ran and the landscapes we passed through are beautiful, both nature and people. Here, too, we were warmly welcomed," Maja, who studies at Belgrade High School, told Euronews. "The energy is incredible. This section was the most difficult for us, and I expect that the next few days will not be so strenuous, but we are ready for anything." Palestinian students at six UN-run schools in east Jerusalem were forced to leave early on Thursday after Israeli forces permanently shut them down. Israel's Education Ministry ordered the schools' closure last month, giving them 30 days to shut down, which ended on Wednesday. The schools are operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which Israel banned from operating on its soil earlier this year. The organisation continues to run schools in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The UNRWA ban was the culmination of a long campaign against the agency, which intensified after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. Israel claims UNRWA is infiltrated by the Palestinian militant group, and that the organisation teaches antisemitic content and anti-Israel sentiment. UNRWA denies the allegations. UNRWA is the main provider of education and health care to Palestinian refugees across east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city its unified capital, but the claim is not recognised by most of the international community. The Israeli Ministry of Education says it will place the students into other Jerusalem schools, but parents, teachers and administrators warn that closing the main schools in east Jerusalem will force their children to cross crowded and dangerous checkpoints every day. Some do not have the correct permits to pass through. Some 800 Palestinian students are at risk of missing out on their education altogether if they cannot be placed in different schools. The Ministry of Education said it was closing the schools because they were operating without a license. UNRWA administrators pledged to keep the schools open for as long as possible.
