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Syrian cuisine becomes Ramadan delight in Egypt

Fasting Egyptians are branching out from traditional meals and exploring the efficient and affordable restaurants run by Syrian, Iraqi and other immigrants.
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CAIRO — Hasan Sabri, a call center operator at an international company in Cairo, does not have the luxury of going home for iftar around 8 p.m. So he, like many of his colleagues, often ends up ordering food to end his daily fast. “If you want to have a meal delivered to your office or home to break your fast during Ramadan, Egyptian restaurants require you to place your order at least three hours before iftar,” he told Al-Monitor. “So I would rather order from a Syrian restaurant that delivers your meal in an hour. It is not only faster, but cheaper and better quality."

Sabri explained that at the beginning of Ramadan, he and his colleagues tried to order food from local Egyptian restaurants but were told that they had to place their order hours before sunset. So they tried one of the nearby Syrian restaurants and discovered that these small, often modest restaurants were not only more accommodating, but had better prices.

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