Free Friday afternoon? Had a rough Thursday night? For a little change of pace, head to Amici for its 1–4 pm brunch. The tiny Zamalek bar has decided to venture into the daylight with Friday brunch, an idea being implemented by the bar’s operations manager, Hunter Moore. What’s more, the 1 pm Bloody Mary they offer has a rumored healing effect.
Friday, 6 January marked Amici's first brunch attempt, and despite a relatively sparse turnout come 2:30 pm, the food, country music and brunch-appropriate cocktails gave the event a light and friendly feel.
The buffet, priced at LE100 plus tax and service, is all you can eat and features everything from fuul and taamiya (falafel) to biscuits and gravy, with some fruits and crepes in between. A salad station sports five different dressings and a number of vegetables, and the chefs are on hand for a custom-made omelet.
Few things stood out on last Friday’s brunch table save the biscuits — kept heated in the kitchen, so make sure to ask — and the Eggs Benedict, although all of the food was good. Moore drifts about, checking on clients and popping behind the bar to make a Bloody Mary or Mimosa if one is ordered. Both cocktails are served in champagne glasses and cost LE20 — a considerable difference from Amici’s cocktails prices at night. Both brunch drinks are fabulous.
Amici has faded in and out of the limelight over the past year and a half. The bar is known for its fabulous cocktails and particularly crowded evenings and younger crowd. Moore suggests stopping in around 9 pm to avoid the people traffic and enjoy a drink.
“It’s my favorite time of night,” he explains.
When the curfew was still in place in February and March, Amici was one of the spots known for its later-than-usual nights and Zamalek party crowd.
Amici plans to continue the brunch — hoping to pick up on a trend that’s working well in the US and Dubai. But it may face one major obstacle.
“The Egyptian crowd will never wake up for brunch on Friday,” jokes a bruncher at a table nearby. "We’re just not built that way.”
Be that as it may, Amici’s brunch is worth a try.
Call to reserve: 01093323333
Amici is located at 22 Taha Hussein Street in Zamalek, right next door to the New President Hotel.
