Manal and Alaa's bit bucket free speech from the bletches

You actually went to the smallest, least practical branch of cilantro. Korba, Marghany, city stars, Mohandessin, Borg Om Kolthoum, El shams, are all big branches with plenty of room to sit comfortably, away from the "pretentious AUCians".

Worth mentioning is the fact that the Starbucks franchise offered to buy the chain, but the owner refused, preferring to keep his business 100% Egyptian. How often does that happen? ;)

Aside that, they have the best waiters. Yes, most polite, most efficient, and wont argue with you if he got you a wrong order, claiming that it's your fault. You can tell that they're properly trained. And i'm not talking about a one off incident, this is consistent, as i'm a regular.

Expensive is relative. It's cheaper than Costa and Starbucks, both international chains. And its clientele can afford it. The proof? it's always busy!

Give it another try, it's worth it.

Coincidentally I check this blogosphere occassionaly in addition to currently browsing info on the Delicious Inc. Cilantro café franchise recently bought out by Hesham El Sewedy.

I realize that the actual statement made dates back to almost a year, however I feel it is more slander than anything else.

Despite it being part of the private sector capitalist mechanism there are a few things worthwhile of mentioning.

Cilantro currently has an established partnership with the Egyptian youth founded NGO Nahdet El Mahrousa to promote philanthropy, raise awareness on social responsibility among youth and adults, encourage active participation in civic activities, dissiminate art and culture and be part of "Nahdet El Mahrousa" (www.nahdetmasr.org) with its identifying phrase of "mas2ouliyati ka misri" (My responibility as an Egyptian.

On a more tangible level, the products which confirm what I am stating are the periodic newsletter Cilantro Central which is currently coming out and available at Cilantro, the Cairo Gig Guide which is created in partnership with Nile FM and powered by the Croc to encourage youth to go to more cultural events, etc.. (include 6 daily spots on the radio announcing a selection of events happening around Cairo from Sufi chanting to street performances to experimental theatre), volunteer opportunities being posted on the bulletin board, etc...

One may argue that there is something fascist about a place like Cilantro. Westernized, exclusive, posh and aliented and alienating - despite the high-speed WiFi. However, if you take a minute to actually look more closely behind the scenes, you may realize that it is a the home for more than 600 Egyptian youth employed by Cilantro, working in highly faciliated conditions, offered various forms of professional development in their areas of interest, etc...

It's not only the posh AUCians hangout. Young people from ALL universites in Cairo and Alex seem to be fleeting there. Ever wonder why? Perhaps because they can discuss, talk, study in peace, without a blaring TV. Without clouds of shisha smoke hanging between them, because of it offering services such as books to browse through.

It is expensive but so is are books, good universites, rare collections of music, so is travelling (even if you are on a budget). It is exclusive to a certain extent - but it is not ALL bad. Or it may not be bad at all at a different level. I mean to say that judging matter at face value is a critical issue and core to development and progression.

Beneath the surface not all what appears good is bad and vice versa - and I feel that maybe I'm going off in a tangent and I should wrap up here. It isn't about Cilantro being good or bad, it seems somewhat peripheral to the point I am raising. It could have been other café chains popping up around Cairo, they are quite a few.. And that's where we get a chance really to use the high-speed internet at no cost except that of an expensive coffee, read newspapers I can't afford, sit for hours with no minimum charge or random door policy and peacefully respond this comment which I hope is critically more than well received.

Hip eh ya 3am! Ya rait!

In all honesty, all I order when I go there is their Classic Hot Chocolate and Tea (and I swear by all that is holy, I can count the number of times I've been there on the fingers of... well, both hands).

Either way, I won't disagree with you. I wanna hear more about the pretentious bourgeiousie AUC students. Fuel for hate.

i love cilantro so much tell me guys , do you pronounce it " silantro " or " Shilantro " i think it is " Shilantro " because i guess this place has italin roots so the letter " C " pronounced " Sh " there

Gave the Zamalek branch a visit. Aksed the waiter if wireless service is working and he said yes only to say no after few seconds when I opened the laptop and found no signal. He said something about the service being down for the last couple of days and I think he murmuring something about them always having troubles with the service