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Le Caire is the French word for Cairo, and the Mediterranean offerings here take an Egyptian bent. Appetizer plates are popular items, with mezzes like crispy, doughnut-shaped falafel, and smooth hummus and baba ghannouj. Foul mudammes, a spicy purée of fava beans and tahini, is excellent and the vegetarian stuffed grape leaves are homemade. Kebabs highlight the short list of entrées, from lamb, shrimp, or chicken shish, to ground kofte, all heavily charred and served with a side of moist rice. For most patrons, however, the kitchen offerings are trumped by the lure of smoke and drink. Hookahs burning fragrant fruit-tinged tobaccos top most tables. An elevated D.J. platform gets a tiny dance floor moving, with weekend belly dancers joining a U.N.-worthy lineup of samba, house, reggaeton, and world music. The cashbah-like main room and snug basement annex get cramped, and between the pounding beats and dim lights, food quickly becomes an afterthought. — Ethan Wolff

An automatic 18 percent gratuity is added to all tabs, regardless of the size of the party.

Mezze falafel combo, $13.95