How it all began! By Dagher Al Sakr, La Bodega Co-founder

Terra-Nullius, Pommes de Terre or The Saucy Sue. These were the three names I recommended for our new restaurant and bar. The first was very close to my heart. The second close to my stomach. The third a homage to Suzanne who was the perhaps the heart of the operation. Maher of course being the brain, and driving force. Whereas I was very much the joker in the pack.

All three names were laughed down. And I am not sure who came up with ‘La Bodega’ but it was the path of least resistance. The one name that none of us really hated. So Bodega it was. I guess it worked. It became our little bodega. We were there every night, eating and drinking, along with were our friends and families. I guess this is why La Bodega has survived for 10 years. It quickly became, as someone recently said: “the clubhouse to Cairo’s compound.” Making money was our target. But to be perfectly honest I doubt we made any the first 2 or 3 years. But we had fun. Me at the DJing decks and Sue behind the bar.

La Bodega was also a spectacular departure from what existed before it. A dreary looking Asian-food restaurant, and around the corner was small darkish bar called the 'German Corner'. A lively establishment where working-class expatriates arrived alone and left with one of the many Ethiopian women who frequented the bar nightly. The pair to be whisked efficiently by the long queue of taxis waiting downstairs.

La Bodega Co-founders: L-R Maher, Suzanne & Dagher, La Bodega's 10th anniversary party, 2010

La Bodega Co-founders: L-R Maher, Suzanne & Dagher, 1998

For 18 months we ripped the place apart, then rebuilt and redecorated. Then re-ripping and rebuilding again. It was an endless and tedious process. Sprinkled with a few odd fun ‘meetings’ like the one where we were meant to trial the new range of home-made flavoured-Vodkas (courtesy of Tommy, our Italian barman) and interview some Swedish girls who were seeking jobs waiting tables. You get the picture.

Opening night was fun. Or so I heard. For I actually missed it. Was out of the country and got a phone call saying ‘sorry but we are opening tonight’.

A few days later and as I walking in for the first time post opening, I was stopped at the door by the new manager. She had been hired the day of the opening, after the previous one proved a complete failure. Do I have a reservation, I was asked. Hmmm... “No.. I’m your employer” seemed a bit too smug so I had to resort to the indignation of saying “I’m a close friend of Maher and Sue... please let me in... please.” Danielle, this new manager, whom I secretly called ‘The Whip’ has been letting me in ever since... without reservations. For that I thank her. I also thank her for being as good a reason as any for nurturing La Bodega into what it is today.

And finally, to the one person who was there every night during those first few weeks and was most certain and vocal in giving us “six months max” before we would fail and close down...

...Well, here’s to another six months. Cheers!

Dagher Al Sakr

La Bodega Co-founder