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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. Homemade stuffed grape leaves are available in vegetarian and meat iterations, the latter made savory by a blend of ground lamb and beef. 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. Samak mashwey (Arabic for “roasted fish”) also comes blackened, with flavorful skin supplying a fiery kick. 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 combo, $13.95