Last night, after taking in the show at Arco Arena…What show you say? Well, Disney on Ice of course, duh. Anyway, after experiencing that cultural blitzkrieg, my lovely companion and I needed something more mellow. How bout Tapas? How bout Ink? Wait, wait, I know, let’s try that Kasbah lounge, we haven’t been there yet? So we went.
Let me just give you a quick summation of my internal thoughts as we spent an hour at the Kasbah:
‘Wow, what a neat decorating job! This place looks so cool. I could totally see having a birthday party here or something. I’m digging the cushions on the ground and the very hip looking bar. Oooooo, what a captivating menu, very stylish in thick leather bindings with distressed paper and very yummy sounding food. Let’s get some beer and some food. Can’t go wrong with hummus…and what’s this? Dates stuffed with chorizo and then deep fried in a lemony batter. Holy Allah, that sounds decadent. Let’s order up.
‘Nice, live band setting up, this ought to be good. Probably world music, which is usually about as entertaining as a sharp stick in my anus, but you never know. Here comes our beer. Yeah!……..hmmmm, mental note, never order Armenian beer again. Ah, here’s the food. Pretty average hummus, but then again it’s hard to screw up hummus…and the dates…(chewing)…Wow, this tastes like shit. I can’t remember eating anything this nasty in years. That’s impressive. I’m going to take a chance and tell our very nice and accommodating waitress that we’re not big fans of the date dish.
‘Well, she took that well, and is bringing us kabobs. She’s nice. This music is getting really annoying. It’s like REO Speedwagon and Phil Collins went on a trip to Turkey and came back with no musical ideas whatsoever…swell. Ah, here’s the Kabobs…mediocre. Ah well. I wish the food here was more like Malouf’s on Fulton…that shit is good. This stuff is a disappointment. OK that’s an understatement. This stuff tastes like camel scrotum. At least she didn’t charge us for the…(reviewing check) she charged us for the goddamned dates! That litte – Just for that I’m gonna have my birthday party at Baker’s Square…Kasbah Lounge, you are dead to me!’
Kasbah Lounge
2115 J St
Sacramento, CA 95816
Food* Ambience**** Service**
Malouf’s Taste of Lebanon
Fulton Ave between Hurley and Arden
Food**** Ambience* Service***
The Sac Rag 
you ate shit at Malouf’s? did it come with rice or a la carte?
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Malouf’s shit plate is really good. Comes with a special side of lentils and extra napkins.
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Malouf’s beef shwarma over hummus is the best. And like Rolle, be sure your schedule is relatively clear after eating there, as you will surely slip into a food coma. Wearing elastic-waist pants might also be a thought (but likely a fashion “don’t” — especially if you’re also the type to wear a festive pumpkin sweater or light-up jingle bell earrings.)
If you’re uncomfortable with bellydancers, don’t go to Malouf’s too late on a weekend night. Kasbah Lounge also features a bellydancer of sorts, but she’s more patchouli & dreadlocks than zills & saffron.
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The “belly dancer of sorts” at kasbah is actually a rotating collective of 21 of the local (and beyond) area’s most talented and intriguing mix of Oriental dancers — from Egyptian cabaret to folkloric, Lebanese, tribal and North African (Tunisian and Moroccan) styles.
The difference at Kasbah (which lends itself to more original, authentic presentation given that there isn’t a central area or “stage”) is that we aren’t a group of belly bunnies invested in being belly dancers for the purposes of exotic mystification but rather a longterm commitment in dance, culture and performing.
In fact, belly dancing is not the sole identity or job for most of the dancers. We are scholars, academics, physicians. In fact, most of the dancers who work at kasbah refuse to dance at any other local venues because of low skill levels and the pervasive problem of untrained and or ego-driven girls “performing” for the purpose of attention.
The “dancer” who dances with the aforementioned band is their own, and not part of the regular roster.
None of us wear patchouli and in fact downtowner hipster identity politics are also not part of the programme. But there is something very liberating and cool to see a dancer in a more comfortable chill environment doing what she does to the best of her intention and with passion and sincerity.
Come by and check us out!
http://www.kasbahlounge.com
-Arabia
http://www.bellydiva.com
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The bellydancer we saw didn’t stink– literally nor figuratively. She had skills and brightened up the chill Sunday crowd. And no, I’m not affiliated with the dance troop.
Re: the food, holy crap in an egg roll wrapper. Don’t order the B’stella Rolls, as they are dusted/booby trapped with a tablespoon of cinnamon a piece. Breathe the wrong way and you’re choking on a spice sandstorm. Yuck. And *that’s* better than whatever they stuffed inside it. Do yourself a favor and order something from Tapa next door and have them bring it over.
Gotta check Malouf’s next…
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When we called the Kasbah, we asked if there was a food menu and a place to eat and they said yes.
We should have asked for specifically what they meant by a place to eat before arriving at the “Lounge”?
When we arrived there was total disorganization and chaos. Some people were standing at the door (no actual line) waiting to be seated and others were just walking in and taking a seat. The so-called host had no clue how to handle this situation so he would walk up to the people who had already sat down and told them to get up and wait and then he was asking people who came in first and said there was a wait. When he finally asked us if we were here for drinks or dinner, we told him dinner and he escorted us to a bench which was comfortable but our eating space was a very small brass table. When our food came the waiter just put it in our laps since there wasn’t enough room on the very small brass table. We told him that we could not eat like this and all the waiter could do was put his hands up in the air and say “oh well”. Needless to say, we asked for the food to be boxed up so we could take it home and possibly eat it on a table that would fit the food items?!?! He brings us a couple of boxes and walks away leaving us with food in hand and boxes piled up on the very small brass table. It was hilarious and frustrating at the same time. We had to juggle food and boxes in order to box up our own food and get out of there. The bill came to $47 dollars and change. We looked at the section noted for the tip and started laughing. We paid the bill and left. The food was just okay and the music was entertaining. If this establishment cannot provide a proper eating area then they should serve up peanuts, pretzels or chips only like most bars, pubs or lounges do for their customers. Full course meals need an actual dinning table. Needless to say we will not be returning to this “place”.
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Thanks for the “update,” a.a.
PS-I really love those Winnie the Pooh books. Maybe Kasbah would be better if they cooked with more “hunny.”
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we walked out after no one had food, no one was being served and we were being ignored in a rather empty dining establishment. Oy, and Tapa’s service isn’t better…but at least the food is good and sangria is to die for….
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