Kabul nights: burgers and karaoke on menu for Afghanistan's young spenders
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Version 0 of 1. <strong> </strong> On a weekend evening in Kabul's well-to-do Wazir Akbar Khan district, groups of twentysomethings from the country's growing middle class queue out of the door of Cherry Berry, a self-service frozen yoghurt bar. Young men dressed in shalwar kameez crowd around tables in the brightly coloured upstairs dining area, which is open until 1am. They sit for hours, chatting and checking their Facebook accounts on their smartphones and tablets. More men – some with spiked, gelled haircuts, jeans and T-shirts emblazoned with western logos – join them after loading up their frozen yoghurt cups from the toppings bar. Downstairs, groups of young women and families gather in the family area, (mixed company of unrelated males and females is still generally frowned upon). Opened in June, Cherry Berry is one of a growing number of hot spots for the young and up-and-coming in the Afghan capital. Where before Kabul after dusk was a city of darkened streets and barred windows, now a handful of eateries and cafes attract a class of Afghans that has benefited from an economy propped up for more than a decade by the presence of hundreds of thousands of westerners. As a result, something unprecedented is happening in the capital: the emergence of a nocturnal scene for young Afghans with disposable incomes. From karaoke cafes to a bowling alley, the variety of hangouts in Kabul has grown in the past two years, creating places to meet up and socialise, a new trend in this ultra-conservative society. "We're really hungry for places to go and for things to do here," said Edris Lutfi, 22, a university student studying business administration. At the Cafe Che, Lutfi met up with classmates male and female for dinner and to share a hookah pipe. On Thursdays the cafe offers live music, mostly covers of Afghan pop songs and Bollywood hits. The trend looks well placed to grow in Kabul, where incomes are higher than in the rest of the country and exposure to western ideas and styles is greater. Poverty is widespread in Afghanistan, particularly outside the capital, and the average yearly income is just $570 (£354), according to the World Bank. Accurate figures are hard to find, but an abundance of international donor-funded development projects paying relatively well has employed thousands of Afghans over 12 years. The average single serving at Cherry Berry is about $4.80, "which is expensive if you are a cleaner or a small shopkeeper", said Shekib Rasheedi, one of four owners, all of whom are under 30. "But most of our customers are making something like $500 or more a month, and they are willing to pay for consistent quality and good customer service." The yoghurt bar serves 600 customers on an average Thursday, the start of the Afghan weekend, Rasheedi said. Several blocks away from Cherry Berry is Strikers bowling alley, where families and friends pay $30 to split a lane for an hour, and waiters serve pizza and burgers. The Blue Flame restaurant across town is popular with students and couples because of its outdoor dining and fresh, high-quality hookahs. The latest talk of the town is Kabul Karaoke, a buffet-style restaurant with a backroom where customers can belt out Afghan, western or Arabic hits on the neon-lit stage. A bartender stands ready to serve fresh juices or energy drinks, which are popular in this Muslim country, where alcohol is illegal. In this male-dominated society, it is still largely young men who go to restaurants or hang out in groups in the evenings in congested areas of Kabul such as Shahr Naw. But young women are increasingly going out to cafes or to walk around the city's shopping malls. "There has been some progress in where we can go, of course," said Soraya, 20, a student, who preferred not to use her last name. "But we still need more places, especially a cinema and a swimming pool for women." While no one could compare Kabul's nightspots to the bars or clubs of London or New York, Kabul's nightlife is considered by many here to be a sign of change in the urban centres of the country as an emerging middle class begins to make its mark. "It's worth noting that during the day we see a lot of couples coming in here," Rasheedi said. "They feel safe here, and they can easily come in, order something for less than 500 Afghani [about $9.50] and spend an hour together." Dating is a growing trend in Kabul, although couples generally do so at great risk of reprisal from their families. Arranged marriages are still the norm. Two years ago, a young couple in the western city of Herat were violently attacked by a mob after they were seen in public together. Both were arrested. A year before that, a couple who had eloped were stoned to death in the northern province of Kunduz by a crowd that included family members. Still, some say there are warning signs that the country's economy will take a sharp turn south as Nato troops withdraw next year and the country elects a new president. International assistance is declining, and there are fears that negotiations with the Taliban will usher in more conservative values and erode the progress that has been made in women's rights. "Despite the whole '2014 fears' thing, things are going to improve here," Lutfi said. "It's just unrealistic to think that Kabul will go back to when people went to sleep at eight at night because there was no electricity." Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |