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Though nowhere near as raucous as the notorious Le Souk around the corner, Le Caire, complete with snaking hookahs, global dance music, and occasional gyrating belly dancers, knows how to transport patrons to the East. Moroccan cushions, gauzy draped curtains, and low-to-the-floor tables set up the Mediterranean theme, while the red-tinted lights and apple-tinted hookah smoke set a sultry mood. Le Caire positions itself more as a lounge more than a full-fledged restaurant, but it has the obligatory array of traditional entrées like meze platters of baba ghannouj and kebabs. Once you’ve hit the pipe a few times, then hit the rowdy, impromptu dance floor while the D.J., inside an elevated booth, accentuates the music with an assortment of drums. — Jane Lerner