Your guide to Cairo’s best dealmaking tables

1

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Drone strike at Damietta + Egypt receives its second EUR 1.5 bn EU tranche

☀️ Good morning, friends, and happy weekend. This week’s guide is a practical one for anyone with business to do over a meal — Cairo’s best restaurants for business dinners. We also have a Lebanese restaurant worth your time, The Truman Show for your Friday night rewatch queue, and a case for why Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours still sounds like it came out yesterday. We also tune in to Zawya’s podcast as the Downtown cinema dissects an Egyptian silver-screen classic.

But first, your weekly recap…

🗞️ LAST WEEK IN 3 MINS-

ENERGY-

Two vessels caught fire after a drone strike at Damietta Port on Wednesday, the cabinet confirmed in an updated statement on Thursday. “After the relevant authorities conducted preliminary investigations into the incident, it was determined that the fire was caused by a drone. No party has claimed responsibility for the incident,” the statement reads. The cabinet added that it is taking “the necessary measures to safeguard Egypt’s interests and national security.” The Oil Ministry’s initial statement had confirmed the fire but made no mention of its cause — emergency teams contained the blaze across a regasification vessel and a storage vessel. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

MEANWHILE- Egypt’s petroleum product exports surpassed 2.3 mn tons in 1H 2026, matching 2025’s full-year figure as crude production hit a two-year peak. Backed by an 80% refinery utilization rate that has strengthened domestic supply and cut imports, export volumes are projected to reach 2.5 mn in 2H. Petroleum product exports between January and June 2026 generated some USD 2.3 bn in revenue.

AND- Aramco is turning to Egypt as traditional Red Sea routes face renewed risk. The Saudi oil giant is offering additional crude cargoes from the Sidi Kerir terminal on a spot basis, as Houthi threats put the Kingdom’s exports through Bab Al Mandab at risk.

ALSO- Two partners in Israel’s Tamar gas field signed a non-binding MoU with an unnamed Egyptian buyer for a potential USD 20 bn contract — which would mark the offshore field’s third long-term supply agreement with Egypt.

DEBT-

The European Commission disbursed EUR 1.5 bn to Egypt last week, the second of three installments under its ongoing EUR 4 bn Macro-Financial Assistance program. The concessional loan is meant to help Egypt cover part of its financing needs, preserve macroeconomic stability, and keep its economic reform program moving in step with the IMF.

TRADE-

Egyptian goods covered by the Section 301 investigation entering the US now face a 12.5% tariff — the higher of two rates under a new US forced-labor regime covering 60 trading partners — after US President Donald Trump’s temporary 10% global import surcharge expired last Friday.

REGULATION-

Mortgage finance companies can now pool funding for the same high-value property purchase after the Financial Regulatory Authority permitted “participatory financing,” allowing multiple lenders to split a single financing ticket. The move gives companies with smaller capital bases room to fund pricier units they couldn’t underwrite alone.

LOGISTICS-

Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company will introduce four new container charges and raise a fifth starting 1 September. The new charges cover full export container entry (USD 15-20), empty container handling (USD 10-20), container retention in the inspection yard (USD 10-20), and container movement for weighing (USD 30-60).

EARNINGS-

Real estate developer SODIC reported a 201% y-o-y increase in gross contracted sales to EGP 23.5 bn during the first half of 2026. Revenue rose 25% y-o-y to EGP 6 bn — led by deliveries at its West Cairo projects, with the VYE development alone accounting for 41% of delivered value — while netcash collections increased 18% to EGP 10.2 bn.

The EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum is back — and this year, we’re giving the full day to the one question on every business leader's mind: What does AI actually mean for your company, your people, and your own job?

Leaders in New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore are asking the same things, and nobody has built a playbook that works yet. We're all figuring it out in real time — and for Egypt, the stakes are unusually high.

Egypt could leapfrog a generation on the back of this technology — or watch AI hollow out the industries and jobs we can't afford to lose. The leaders who get literate early will be the ones who get to decide which road we take.

Every session on stage answers one question: “So, what do I actually do about it?”

Join us on 5 October in Cairo. Seats are limited and attendance is by invitation only.

Request your invitation here.

🌍 AROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS-

This week’s headlines were dominated by a brief pause in the US-Iran war, which raised hopes of a diplomatic off-ramp — before Iran’s Revolutionary Guard shattered it with a fresh attack on a US base in Jordan. Wildfires across southern Europe and a semiconductor rout rounded out a bruising week. Here’s the rundown.

After 13 consecutive nights of US strikes, Washington halted its bombardment over the weekend — advisors citing a depleted arsenal and a shortage of viable targets. Iran reciprocated, with a senior official telling Reuters it would hold fire as long as the US did. By Tuesday, Trump said both sides were having good talks, and Oman put forward a Gulf-backed proposal for voluntary Hormuz transit fees. The pause held for four days — until the IRGC launched an attempted surprise attack on US bases in Jordan on Wednesday, snapping the ceasefire.

Iran renewed missile attacks on US forces in the early hours of Thursday, with Washington responding with fresh strikes. Oil followed the arc: Brent, which had briefly surged, retreated before Wednesday’s attack reset the clock.

The week added a new front to an already sprawling conflict: Ukraine confirmed it struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea during the pause, killing one sailor — Tehran summoned a Ukrainian diplomat in protest. Zelenskyy was at the White House on Tuesday, seeking anti-ballistic defense support as the two wars increasingly intersected.

MEANWHILE- Wildfires have displaced more than 300k people across France and Spain, with firefighters battling blazes near Bordeaux and Madrid during the country’s fourth heatwave of the summer. France alone has seen nearly 98k hectares burned — a new national record.

IN THE BUSINESS PRESS- Blackstone, KKR, and Brookfield agreed to acquire a USD 16 bn, 49% stake in Kuwait's national oil pipeline network — the country’s largest-ever foreign direct investment ticket. The semiconductor sell-off deepened, with SK Hynix and Samsung both dropping more than 13% as the MSCI Semiconductor World index recorded its worst month since 2022. Grant Thornton acquired rival CBIZ for USD 5 bn in an allcash agreement, cementing its rank as the biggest US audit and consulting firm outside the Big Four.

Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT debuted on the Shanghai exchange, with shares jumping 472% after raising CNY 66.6 bn — the second-largest IPO in China’s history — positioning Beijing to cut its reliance on foreign chip suppliers. And Shein’s planned Hong Kong listing hit turbulence, with its prospectus revealing a 39% drop in net income in 2025 even as revenues rose 8%.

☀️ THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND-

It’s another intensely hot weekend, with Friday kicking things off with an indoor-advised scorching high of 39°C and a slightly cooler overnight low of 26°C. The North Coast brings some relief, with a high of 32°C and a cooler low of 23°C. Saturday brings more of the same, with a sweltering high of 39°C and an overnight low of 27°C in Cairo, while temperatures up North climb to a high of 33°C with a low of 23°C, according to our favorite weather app.

🎤 HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND-

No Sahel plans this weekend? The Tiatro Romano festival continues tonight, bringing performances from Reda El Bahrawy, Rahma Mohsen, and Ahmed Sheba at the Roman Theater in Al Alamein’s Marina 2. Expect a night of live vocals and plenty of sing-along moments. The concert kicks off at 10pm, with tickets available on TicketsMarché.

Sharmoofers are joining this summer’s Sahel concert lineup, performing at this year’s Localine, taking place tonight at Masyaf in Ras El Hekma. The event brings together a mix of local brands, shopping, and live entertainment. The concert kicks off at 8pm, with tickets available on TicketsMarché.

Staying in Cairo? Hesham Maged is back with another comedy project for your summer comedy fix, this time with his first-ever play, Khayal Mareed, at Theatro Arkan. Running every day at 8pm until Saturday, 8 August, the interactive play stars Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Hanady Mehanna, Ahmed El Rafaie, Dina Diab, and more. You can secure your tickets on TicketsMarch é .

Your guide to Cairo’s best decision-making tables

🍽️🤝 Work doesn’t just happen in the office. Some conversations are better suited to a relaxed setting, others call for polished, high-status surroundings, while the most sensitive discussions require discreet spaces for high-stakes talks to unfold uninterrupted. Regardless of the occasion, the essentials remain the same: comfortable seating, a frictionless atmosphere, and reliably good food and drinks.

After plenty of trial and error with Cairo’s F&B scene, EnterpriseAM’s extensive roster of restaurant reviews has given us more than enough material to round up some of our tried-and-tested business lunch spots, grouped by the kind of meeting they’re best suited for.

Quick catch-ups

#1- Berro’s: Some talks require a break from corporate clamor and a nudge toward an easygoing, aesthetically pleasing setting for friendly check-ins and executive rapport-building. New Cairo’s all-day brasserie Berro’s is perfect for that. Cozy, elegantly artsy, and home to a standout international menu with a specialty coffee lineup that’s perfect for lighter midday meetings.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. Tables are positioned relatively close together, so we’d save sensitive conversations for elsewhere.

SERVICE- Food hits the table in 20 minutes, give or take.

WHERE TO FIND IT- The Nox Mall, New Cairo.

#2- Gärten: Another easy-access option in New Cairo, Gärten serves an all-day menu of Egyptian and international fusion dishes in a casual yet elevated setting. Whether it’s coffee, brunch, or a full-on dinner, Gärten makes for a reliable choice for informal work catch-ups and quick business briefs.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. Tables are spaced far enough apart to offer a reasonable level of privacy. The venue can get quite lively, though, so we’d recommend it for one-on-one catchups rather than big group conversations where every word matters.

SERVICE- Food usually arrives in around 20 minutes, but could take longer during crowded hours.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Lake Town and Trivium Square, New Cairo as well as Telal and Sodic Caesar Matcha, North Coast.

#3- Evermore: If you’re after a menu with a bit of flair and a colorful setting to break away from office monotony, Evermore delivers with its signature Lebanese-Latin fusion cuisine and thoughtfully curated yet comfortable atmosphere — perfect for easy first-time rapport building or even a creative brainstorming session.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. The setting arrangement can feel a bit intimate, so we’d say it’s more suited for casual conversations.

SERVICE- Appetizers take around 15 minutes to hit the table, while mains usually arrive in 30 minutes, give or take.

WHERE TO FIND IT- U Venues, New Cairo.

#4- Cake Cafe: Few things break the ice better than a lush, green setting. Cake Cafe is known for offering exactly that across many of its branches. Whether you’re there for a refreshing drink, a midday caffeine fix, or a leisurely breakfast, it’s a go-to, easygoing spot for light catchups and informal business meetups.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating available. The cafe’s signature outdoor area offers little privacy, particularly during peak morning and afternoon hours when its popular branches tend to get busy.

SERVICE- Expect relatively fast service, though wait times can stretch a little during peak hours.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Cake Cafe has branches all across Cairo and the North Coast.

Big-picture talks

#1- Carlo’s: If conversations are already veering into making decisions and legit idea pitching, there’s no better way to hash things out than over a satisfying lunch or dinner. Carlo’s is a reliable pick. The international fusion restaurant is a high-volume spot that offers an extensive menu spanning a variety of cuisines in a comfortable, contemporary setting. It’s particularly well-suited to larger groups, working lunches, and the kind of informal discussions where ideas turn into decisions.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are both available. We’d recommend the outdoor area for more privacy given the generous table spacing and natural ambient noise.

SERVICE- Food usually lands in around 20 minutes.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Waterway White, 5A, District 5, New Cairo, Arkan Plaza, Sheikh Zayed, and Marassi Marina.

#2- Donna Del Mare: For occasions that call for a stronger first impression or an elevated setting for slow-paced informal dealmaking, newly opened Italian restaurant Donna Del Mare fits the bill. With its distinctive aesthetic, refined Italian menu, and calm atmosphere, it’s an excellent choice for more focused conversations — backed by a meal you can count on.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available with decent table spacing that provides a comfortable level of acoustic privacy.

SERVICE- Food arrives fresh and hot in around 20 minutes or less.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Square One Mall, New Cairo.

#3- Sushimi By K: For moments when you’re looking to change things up — or simply add a little extra polish to the occasion — sushi is rarely a bad idea. Sushimi By K is about as premium as sushi gets in Cairo, famously serving impeccably fresh, high-quality bites in an elegant yet surprisingly comfortable setting. The atmosphere makes for an ideal balance between relaxed and professional for leisurely but productive business conversations.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available, with a bigger indoor space that can lean more intimate depending on your table, so opt for a strategically placed table.

SERVICE- Dishes arrive impressively quickly.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Polaris Mall, New Cairo, and Park St. in Sheikh Zayed.

High-profile occasions

#1- Mazeej Balad: Some occasions call for a little more than a refined setting to impress. If you’re hosting international clients or investors or celebrating a major milestone, Mazeej Balad is hard to beat. Perched on a boutique rooftop in the heart of Downtown Cairo, it strikes the perfect balance between luxury, privacy, elevated Egyptian cuisine, and a sure-to-impress stunning view.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available, with generous table spacing and ambient city noise that keeps conversation comfortably discreet.

SERVICE- Expect leisurely wait times.

WHERE TO FIND IT- 11 Mahmoud Bassiouny, Downtown Cairo.

#2- Yū: Other celebratory occasions call for a focus on more refined and memorable meals. Newly minted Asian-Peruvian restaurant Yū delivers exactly that, pairing a flavor-forward menu with top-tier service in a casual fine dining setting. Yū serves the kinds of carefully crafted meals that you’d happily close an agreement over or invite an important international client to.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. We’d recommend opting for an outdoor table for a little more privacy, less background music, and a natural atmosphere better suited for important discussions.

SERVICE- Dishes land in less than 20 minutes.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Waterway White, New Cairo.

#3- Tenaya: What’s a more fitting backdrop for a high-profile lunch or dinner than the Nile? Maadi’s riverside restaurant Tenaya is a standout choice for special occasions. With a confident menu spanning Egyptian and international cuisine, the food holds its own, but it’s the stunning Nile views that do the trick. Even if you’re navigating a tricky conversation, a setting like Tenaya can help set the right tone.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. 12-seat VIP rooms are available if you’re looking for extra privacy.

SERVICE- Expect leisurely wait times, especially during peak hours — but the views more than make up for them.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Nile Corniche, Maadi.

Hush-hush negotiations

#1- E Noci Bistro: A table by the Nile for confidential conversations? Garden City’s E Noci Bistro may not be the first place that comes to mind — and that’s exactly its advantage. Tucked away from the city’s usual business spots, it offers a more under-the-radar location where you’re unlikely to see familiar faces. Its biggest draw, however, is the option of a private Nile boat tour while your meal is being prepared.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. We’d recommend an outdoor table for discreet conversations, thanks to the generous table spacing and surprisingly good acoustic privacy created by the city ambience — not to mention the Nile views.

SERVICE- Food arrives in around 20 minutes, give or take.

WHERE TO FIND IT- The Palm Walk, Garden City.

#2- Lucky House: Another off-the-grid option, the authentic Chinese restaurant Lucky House makes for an excellent business lunch away from the city’s usual flashy hotspots and corporate noise. Frequented by a diverse customer base, from diplomats to families, rest assured your conversations will stay lowkey and private.

PRIVACY- Indoor and outdoor seating are available. Table booths indoors provide a comfortable level of privacy, and the acoustics accommodate sensitive conversations.

SERVICE- Expect dishes to arrive anywhere from 20 minutes to, on busier days, close to an hour, depending on crowd levels.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Enawalks, New Cairo, and Street 15, Maadi.

#3- Blues Dry Music Bar: Maadi’s Blues Dry Music Bar might be your best hush-hush wager on this list. With its low, moody lighting and soft jazz soundtrack, Blues feels like the kind of hideout where it’s easy to keep a low profile. It offers a relaxed atmosphere and a global menu of familiar classics. The food isn’t necessarily the main draw — though it holds its own — it’s the overall lowkey atmosphere that’s ideal for candid discussions and late-night decompressions after a long day’s work.

PRIVACY- Indoor seating is available. Tables are generously spaced, creating a hard-to-get-by level of privacy.

SERVICE- Expect dishes to arrive at a leisurely pace.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Street 82, Maadi.

Revisiting classics: The Truman Show is a sharp and thought-provoking exploration of reality, free will, and surveillance

🍿 Do you ever feel like you’re being watched? The Truman Show brings that fear to life. For this month’s edition of Classics Revisited, we’re looking back at one of the most original and enduring films of the late ‘90s — and one that proves particularly relevant today: The Truman Show. Directed by Peter Weir and released in 1998, the movie forces viewers to examine how heavily social media and technology have influenced our modern reality.

The Plot: Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), an ordinary salesman, becomes suspicious of the world he lives in as a series of strange occurrences makes him realise not everything is as it seems. Everything in his reality, including his home, wife, and job, is soon revealed to be part of an elaborate movie set designed to capture his every move and produce it for people in the real world.

What we liked: The film sets an eerie tone by focusing on Truman’s paranoia, not through typical means, such as ominous music or imagery, but instead by cultivating an artificial feel throughout the set. The lighting, colors, and music’s inorganic feel left viewers strangely unsettled, allowing them to truly sympathize with Truman, putting into question the role of media and surveillance in today’s world.

While some may feel the filmmakers drew their characters in overly stark terms — purely good or purely evil — we’d argue the film’s handling of its central dilemma is remarkable and ahead of its time. In an era consumed by the logic of advertising and branding, reality itself becomes a desperate attempt to commodify human beings, their lives, and their relationships in a way that edges toward enslavement.

While Christof (Ed Harris) — the director and architect of the whole (in-universe) show — might read as straightforward villainy, the writing gives him more depth than that. He’s a man suffering from a god complex, genuinely convinced he has served Truman by shielding him from the real world: keeping him captive in this artificial one, under his watch and care, protected from the ugliness, danger, and tragedy of life outside.

The verdict: The secret to The Truman Show’s endurance is that it never loses sight of the human dimension at the heart of its ambitious premise. Technically a comedy and a science fiction film, it delivers a sharp critique and a devastating reading of the world we actually live in. Nearly 28 years on, the film has outrun its own moment — its targets now broader than ever, landing squarely on life under the obsession with technology, influencer culture, and the chaos of capitalism and consumerism everywhere you look.

WHERE TO WATCH IT- Rent or buy The Truman Show on Apple TV. Watch the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:32)

Nearly 50 years on, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours still refuses to sound old

🎧 Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is over 49 years old, and it is, at the time of writing, sitting inside Billboard’s Top 10 rock albums. Not as a nostalgia entry. Not on the strength of a documentary or an anniversary reissue. It’s there because people — a meaningful number of them far too young to have been alive in 1977 — keep choosing to listen to it.

The road to fame: Fleetwood Mac started in London in 1967 as a blues outfit built around guitarist Peter Green. After several lineup collapses and a couple of commercially unremarkable years, the band finally found its signature sound when its namesake rhythm section — Mick Fleetwood and John McVie — brought in Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1974. The pairing of Buckingham’s songwriting with Nicks’ voice gave Fleetwood Mac something it hadn’t had before: distinct songwriters, distinct emotional registers, one band. Their 1975 self-titled album hinted at what was coming. Rumours, released 4 February 1977, is where it actually arrived.

Why Rumours was the big break: The circumstances are well-worn at this point — Buckingham and Nicks splitting up mid-recording, the McVies divorcing, Fleetwood’s own marriage ending — but the reason it matters isn’t the gossip. It’s that the band kept working together through it, in the same room, writing songs about each other that the other person would then have to sing harmony on. Dreams, Go Your Own Way, and The Chain came out of that. It shouldn’t have produced a cohesive record. It produced one of the best-selling albums ever made.

Why we love Rumours: The album never tips into self-pity, which is the trap most breakup records fall into. It’s reflective in one song and openly angry in the next, sometimes inside the same track — calm verses giving way to belted, chaotic choruses and back again. That volatility is why it doesn’t sound dated.

The clearest example never made the original tracklist. Silver Springs, Nicks’ song about Buckingham, was cut from Rumours for length and buried as a B-side. It’s now arguably the album’s most-discussed moment — largely because of a single 1997 reunion performance where Nicks locks eyes with Buckingham and sings, straight at him, “you'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.” That clip still resurfaces and goes viral on a near-annual cycle, usually with captions from people who weren’t born when it happened.

Why you should re-listen to Rumours this weekend: Rumours has the texture of a record made in 1977 and, somehow, the texture of something an indie band could release next month. Put it on from start to finish. It rewards the full runtime more than any individual streaming hit does.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in to Rumours on every single music streaming app in existence, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Anghami.

Secrets of the Temple is a 1987 book about the Fed — and one of the most useful things you can read right now

📚 The secrets behind the American economy: Published in 1987, Secrets of the Temple by journalist William Greider is one of the most important works to go behind the scenes of the US Federal Reserve. Greider doesn’t approach monetary policy from a dry academic angle — he takes readers on an investigative trek through one of the world’s most opaque institutions, revealing how a small group of unelected bankers shapes the fate of economies and affects the lives of mns.

What to expect: The book centers on the Paul Volcker era of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the Fed waged an aggressive war on inflation by raising interest rates to levels not seen before or since. Greider’s central argument is that the Fed operates like a sacred temple run by priests who hold secrets the public cannot access — and that monetary policy is not a set of neutral numbers, but a series of choices that favor either creditors and lenders, or workers and small businesses.

What we liked: Despite being written decades ago, the book offers substantial practical value for professionals and investors today, particularly in the context of the inflation cycles and monetary tightening the world has been living through. Succeeding in business requires a deep understanding of how central banks operate and how they price money. And Greider makes vividly clear how a single rate decision can wipe out fortunes and devastate entire sectors while saving others, sharpening the reader’s ability to anticipate and hedge against the consequences of monetary policy shifts.

Greider’s analysis of the Volcker shock — and how it produced a severe recession that hit critical sectors including real estate and industry — is one of the book’s strongest passages. He lays out with unusual transparency the gap between the macro objective of taming inflation and the steep price paid by startups and small business owners, making a compelling case for why managers and investors must read the macro picture rather than relying on micro indicators or optimistic market projections alone.

The verdict: The book’s strength is its narrative — rigorous journalism that dismantles the complexity of economic terminology and turns it into a human and political story. Despite its length, it’s an indispensable reference for understanding how the global financial system actually works and how the hardest economic decisions get made behind closed doors.

WHERE TO READ IT- Both the e-book and paperback editions are available through Amazon.

Zawya Cinema’s A Date With podcast dedicates an entire season to unpacking a classic

👂 Can a film you’ve seen dozens of times still be hiding details you’ve never noticed? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is the subject of A Date With, a podcast produced by Zawya Cinema. The podcast takes a different approach to film analysis — dedicating an entire season to unpacking a single classic. Season one focuses on director Mohamed Khan’s 1981 masterpiece Mawid Ala Al Ashaa, starring Souad Hosny, Ahmed Zaki, and Hussein Fahmy.

What to expect: Hosted by Yomna Khattab and Karim El Dalil, A Date With works through Mawid Ala Al Ashaa in detail across several episodes. Rather than a quick conventional review, each episode is dedicated to a specific element of the film — from the opening scene and its significance, through character analysis, to the score and the ending — building into a sustained critical journey.

Who is Ezzat? In the podcast’s fourth episode, Khattab and El Dalil host the film’s star Hussein Fahmy inside one of Zawya’s screening rooms, with a live audience. The episode centered on a discussion of the psychological motivations behind Fahmy’s character, Ezzat, and the sharp turn his career took at the time — from the romantic lead roles that defined his ‘70s work to playing an ambitious businessman consumed by a pathological need for control and possession.

Fahmy shared his own reading of Ezzat, pushing back against the tendency to reduce him to a villain or dismiss him as simply toxic by today’s standards — seeing him instead as a natural product of his environment and psychological makeup. He also spoke about his preparation for the role, from sketching the character’s external traits to mapping out his backstory. Turning to the film’s iconic dinner scene, he highlighted the distinction between surprise and suspense, and confirmed that the tragic ending was not altered during shooting as is often claimed.

What we liked: The podcast’s strength is its analytical depth and its ability to surface new angles on a film most audiences already know well. The hosts draw attention to fine details — editing choices, camera angles, the psychological undercurrents of Nawal’s (Soad Hosny’s character) experience of alienation, entrapment, and disorientation — giving listeners a renewed appreciation of Khan’s directorial vision and the performances of Hosny, Zaki, and Fahmy. The conversational tone keeps even the more technically detailed film analysis accessible and engaging.

What we didn’t: Dedicating a full season to a single film will put off listeners who don’t connect with this particular work, or those who prefer variety and faster-moving content. Some discussions also lean into granular technical details that may feel excessive for a casual listener looking for a lighter take.

The verdict: A Date With is a rich and rewarding listen for anyone who loves cinema and wants to understand how films are made and what they’re doing beneath the surface. It makes a strong case that the classics still have things to say — when the critical lens is sharp enough to find them.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on YouTube | SoundCloud.

THE ENTERPRISE ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

🗓️ JULY

7 July - 8 August (Tuesday-Saturday): Khayal Mareed Play at Theatro Arkan.

30-31 July (Thursday-Friday): Garage Sale at Darb 15, Maadi.

30-31 July (Thursday-Friday): El Sahel El Sherir at Porto Theater, Marina Alamein.

31 July (Friday): Studio El Etneen at Premiere Show, Porto Golf.

31 July (Friday): Disco Misr and Lino Cheikho at The Smokery Beach, Bianchi.

31 July (Friday): Localine Vol.3: Sharmoofers at Masyaf, Ras El Hekma.

31 July (Friday): Reda El Bahrawy, Rahma Mohsen, and Ahmed Sheba at Tiatro Romano, Marina 2, Al Alamein.

31 July (Friday): Shorelines Festival at Almaza Bay.

AUGUST

1 August (Saturday): Esseily at O by Michel Fadel, Marassi.

1 August (Saturday): El Leila El Kebeera at Theatro Arkan.

1 August (Saturday): Omar El Gamal Vol.66 at Teatro 90.

1 August (Saturday): Saad El Oud at CJC 610.

1 August - September 15 (Saturday-Tuesday): El Alamein Book Fair.

4 August (Tuesday): Amr Selim at Open Air Theater, Cairo Opera House.

6 August (Thursday): Cairo Comedy Club at Teatro 90.

6 August (Thursday): Hamada Helal at Premiere Show, Golf Porto.

6 August (Thursday): Amr Selim at Sayed Darwish Theatre, Alexandria.

6 August (Thursday): Massar Egbari at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

6 August (Thursday): Deep House Bible at North Coast.

6-15 August (Thursday-Saturday): The Garden Market at Lakeyard, Hacienda Bay, North Coast.

7 August (Friday): Salah El Daly - Stand Up Comedy Show at Teatro 90.

7 August (Friday): Ali El Haggar at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

7 August (Friday): Ismailia Mango Festival.

7 August (Friday): Sherine at Porto Golf, Al Alamein City.

7 August (Friday): Cairokee Ft. Disco Misr at D-Bay, North Coast.

7 August (Friday): Aziz Maraka at The Smokery Beach, North Coast.

8 August (Saturday): Boosh Bshasha Stand-up Comedy Show at Teatro 90.

10-11 August (Monday-Tuesday): Mohamed Helmy Standup at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

13 August (Thursday): Hisham Abbas at Premiere Show, Golf Porto.

14 August (Friday): The High Five: In & Out Standup Comedy Show at Teatro 90.

14 August (Friday): Tough Mudder Kids by The TriFactory at Ramla by Marakez, North Coast.

14 August (Friday): Tul8te at U Arena, North Coast.

14 August (Friday): Mohamed Ramadan at Porto Golf, Al Alamein City.

14 August (Friday): Nawal El Zoghby and Wael Jassar at Tiatro Romano, Marina 2, Al Alamein.

17-18 August (Monday-Tuesday): Omar Khairat at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

20 August (Thursday): Mohamed Fouad at Premiere Show, Golf Porto.

20 August (Thursday): Hisham Abbas at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

20-23 August (Thursday-Sunday): Leila Assal at Theatro Arkan.

21 August (Friday): Abyusif and Shehab at Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria.

21 August (Friday): Black Coffee at Cubix North Coast.

21 August (Friday): Ruby and Rami Aiash at Tiatro Romano, Marina 2, Al Alamein.

21 August (Friday): Autostrad at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

22 August (Saturday): Wust El Balad at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

23 August (Sunday): Autostrad at El Sawy Culturewheel, Zamalek.

25 August (Tuesday): Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday.

27 August (Thursday): Jadal at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

28 August (Friday): Amal Maher at Premiere Show, Golf Porto.

29 August (Saturday): Jadal at El Sawy Culturewheel, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed.

30 August (Sunday): Tamer Ashour at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

SEPTEMBER

4 September (Friday): Ehab Tawfik at Premiere Show, Golf Porto.

26 September (Saturday): John Achkar’s Feena Nehke at Theatro Arkan.

OCTOBER

1-4 October (Thursday-Sunday): She Arts festival across Cairo and Alexandria.

6 October (Tuesday): Armed Forces Day.

15-23 October (Thursday-Friday): El Gouna Film Festival.

24 October (Saturday): Blue 25th Anniversary Tour at New Capital.

28-31 October (Wednesday-Saturday): Egypt’s Cheese Festival at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

NOVEMBER

5 November (Thursday): Gala De Danza at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

11-20 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival.

19-28 November (Thursday-Saturday): Cairo Design Week.

28 November (Saturday): Shakira at the Pyramids of Giza.

DECEMBER

11-12 December (Friday-Saturday): The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon at the Pyramids of Giza.

Sections

About

Privacy & Support