The Cafe For One Last Round of Tombac

Made my last trip to the cafe that Magdy introduced me to.  My last shot at smoking some Tombac before I go home.  I've spoken of this cafe before, but I felt compelled tonight to expand on it.  It's just that special.  Why?  Well, of course it is only one of a handful of places that sell Tombac in Cairo.  But there is more than that.  This is the old school men's club.  The type of place that brings to mind The Cab Stand in Goodfella's or The Chez Bippy in A Bronx Tale.

You will not find any females at the cafe and I don't think any local women mind.  There is but one toilet which in about 25 square feet and faces out to the rest of the room.  There is a glass window and everyone in the place receives a great view of you doing your business.

What you will find is the local power play.  Lawyers, business owners, artisans, doctors, etc. such all show up here.  You can conduct all of the business you need right there on the stoop.  And everyone knows everyone.  Not only do they know each other, but many of the friendships go back 30 years or more.  The banter that runs between them, although I can;t understand a word of it, is hilarious in method-acting.  When you find yourself laughing comfortably at people when they could possibly be talking smack about you is somewhat liberating.

For my experience, they are all very welcoming and extremely curious about the American that Magdy brought to the cafe.  I have had a variety of conversations including the current political climate in both countries, the history of every Mediterranean country, the role of children in Egypt, you name it.

When each of the "members" pull up in their vehicles, orders are barked out to make rules, other cars are rearranged to make room, and seats are moved around to accommodate before he even gets out of the car.  Some of the fellas even have their own personal pipes to smoke from.

The owner of the cafe is third generation.  He has had several cash offers for very large sums of money and will not sell, citing the history of the cafe being too important to him.

To start, it is always a cup of the best Turkish Coffee I've found accompanied by the Tombac.  When the coffee is gone, it's on to fresh squeezed orange juice followed by a very sweet Hibiscus Tea (served cold).  This trip was a little different as we stayed for four hours, longer than our usual trip.  This time we tacked on a mucho bueno Anise Tea (served hot) with fresh mint that knocked my socks off.  Both the anise and the mint were very faint (that's a good thing) and I couldn't keep my nose from the glass.  

One thing I cannot get my eyes off on each of my visits is the device that is used to heat the coals.  A massive piece of steel, the heat coming from it is immense.  Although it is a tabletop piece, you get the impression of the washing machine in Home Alone that taunts Kevin when he sees it.  A device from the pages of The Divine Comedy if you will.

Each of the wait staff have their  own personalities.  And these are huge personalities.  Once again, although I do not speak Arabic, I can understand every one of their conversations based on their hand movements, eye glances, and natural smiles.  They love having their picture taken and at each visit I am ripe with images upon departure.

In all, although I personally prefer my sheesha flavored (and would not even mention this fact to anyone within a mile of the cafe), this particular spot and the Tombac we smoke will have a special place in my heart.  I am confident that I will be here on a subsequent trip and I'm already looking forward to it.  And if anyone is curious about going to this place and will be in Cairo, I'm sure Magdy would be more than happy to take you and introduce you around.  Cheers!