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Hard Rock Café Cairo
By Daniel Lanier
Finally it arrived! Thirty years after the Hard Rock Café
opened its first branch in London, just across from Buckingham
Palace, it received its first guests in Cairo on May 3rd.
For years, clever merchants at the Khan El-Khalili and elsewhere
in Egypt have successfully sold imitation HRC Cairo t-shirts, for
years the HRC branch in Sharm El-Sheikh has pulled in huge numbers
of pleasure-seekers night after night, and for years the people
have wondered: Why don’t we have a Hard Rock Café in Cairo?
Elton John Outfit
 This question
eventually has been answered by the arrival of the original. And
what an original! Among all of the more than 100 HRC’s around
the globe, the Cairo branch has certainly one of the most
impressive locations – on the shore of the River Nile. The view
is breathtaking. While sitting at one of the barstools next to the
large windows and sipping your Daiquiri, you can cruisers and
feluccas, the huge illuminated water fountain in the middle of the
Nile – all that topped only by the skyline of downtown Cairo,
with bridges, the Cairo tower, hotels and other high-rises.
The Hard Rock Café Cairo is part of the lower level of the Le
Meridien Cairo Hotel. The entrance is located between this
elegant, curved 15-story building and its new extension, the Le
Royal Meridien Nile Tower, not less than 41 stories high. The main
dining area of this newest Hard Rock Café has 205 seats while the
bar seats 85. But, as we all know it, the Hard Rock Café is more
than just a restaurant, and that applies to its Cairo branch, too.
The walls are paved with famous music memorabilia. Guitars of Guns’n’Roses,
Red Hot Chili Peppers or Aerosmith, an Elton John stage suit, a
shirt from Elvis Presley and many, many other pieces. The company
Hard Rock Café International Inc. owns more than 60,000 pieces of
memorabilia worldwide, a collection that was touted by Andy Warhol
as being the "Smithsonian of Rock’n’Roll." Now,
Cairo has its share of music history, too. The most interesting
piece has less to do with rock music history, but it fits the wall
and the atmosphere perfectly: an original 1957 American Classic
Cadillac, formerly owned by Egypt’s President Nasser.
Elvis Preslry Shirt
 Music videos blare
from TV-sets in every corner and noisy pop and rock tunes are
probably not exactly what Nasser thought of when he constructed a
socialist-oriented Egypt, but to quote Bob Dylan, "the
times they are a-changin’ " – even on the banks of
the river Nile. The times, yes, are changing, but not the Hard
Rock Cafe’s marketing concept. The menu features its trademark
American-style food, those classic burger platters, steak and
chicken dishes, onion rings, fajitas and nachos, sandwiches and
BBQ cutlets, which loyal fans from all over the world expect to
order all over the world, in every single HRC branch, including
beer, spirits and cocktails. In Cairo, the sandwiches start at LE
21 ($ 5), a burger platter comes for around LE 25 ($ 6) and ribeye
steak costs at least LE 46 ($ 11). The price of bottle of local
wine is LE 60 ($ 14).
 Right:
Original Car of President Nasser of Egypt.
The wait staff is attentive and friendly. They are trained not
only to serve guests, but also to entertain their guests, who,
with a little luck, can even see them dancing. The day I visited
the Hard Rock Café Cairo, on a hot, lazy and quiet afternoon,
some guests surprised us with a spontaneous ballet, executing the
classic hand motions to the music of the 70’s hit, »Y.M.C.A.«
by The Village People. The waiters and waitresses eagerly joined
in, too. Al-hamdulillah, the restaurant is well air-conditioned.
To retain such memories, guests may head directly to the HRC
merchandise shop offering the usual selection of HRC logo
t-shirts, hats, pins and jackets.
Ahmed El-Sheikh, one of the Managers
After midnight, the restaurant is transformed into a huge
disco, which will, as Ahmed El-Sheikh, one of the managers,
promised me, soon feature live bands.
Hard Rock Café Cairo. Le Meridien Hotel Cairo, Corniche
El-Nil, Garden City. Open from noon till around two or three after
midnight. Telephone: +20-2-53 21 277. Fax: +20-2-53 21 289. E-Mail:
HRCevents@menanet.net.
Group and Special Events available. To all prices add 17 % service
charge and sales tax. Minimum charge per person: LE 25 ($ 6).
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