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46 Misr Lel Tameer Bldgs, Road 20, First Zone, Sheraton Heliopolis
Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
Address
Shisha, Italian, Pizza
Cuisine
0222689745
0222689746
0222689746
Telephone
Senzo Café Pizzeria: Mouth-Watering Pizza in Heliopolis
Published On:
09/07/2012
It seems that new venues in Cairo fail to realise that exposure is vital, tucking themselves away in obscured spots - as is the case with newly opened Senzo. Located in the Sheraton Heliopolis area, this newly opened pizzeria has serious claim to making some of the best pizza around.
Senzo is a relatively small place. While the menu may be Italian-inspired, the interior is modern with a distinct American style. It’s characterized by a high dark wood ceiling, blue chandeliers and white bookshelves filled with books and magazines. The walls are a cool beige with a greyish tint.
The restaurant serves shisha indoors and outdoors, but because of the small indoor area, it can get suffocating in the evenings when it’s more crowded and smoky. The outdoor area is well prepared for the season and is full of water-mist fans helping to alleviate the summer heat.
We started our meal with the Insalata di Pollo (26.95LE) which came in a generous portion and had lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, fresh mushrooms and chicken breast slices with a honey vinaigrette dressing. All of the ingredients were fresh and we enjoyed the salad immensely on a warm summer's day.
Now for the pizza! We ordered a large pizza with smoked roast beef (46.95LE), which was too big for even two people. With a satisfactory pizza crust, it comes topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, thin cuts of smoked beef, onions, baby corn and pineapples. The combination of the fresh ingredients made for a heavenly pizza. We will definitely be going back for more.
Like any self-respecting Italian restaurant, there are a also a variety of homemade pastas that include Lasagne alla Bolognese (34.95LE), Lasagne Ricotta e Spinaci (33.95LE), and gnocchi (26.95LE).
Another noteworthy item, this time from the drinks menus, is Café Senzo (11.95LE); a blend of espresso, milk, chocolate, hazelnut, and topped with foam - it's a must try.
The staff at Senzo were pleasant and their service was efficient. All of our orders came quickly and we didn’t have to wait long - an impressive feat considering how well prepared everything was.
So next time you’re in the area and feel like giving yourself a treat, head over to Senzo and get yourself one of the most delicious pizzas in town.
Comments
Near By
Two joys of hanging out in Heliopolis are fresh air and good shisha. The
Lounge combines both of these pleasures. A young, hip hangout with a growing
cult following, the Lounge offers outdoor seating, good food and out-of-this-world
shisha. The restaurant has both an indoor and outdoor seating
area. The outdoor seating is quite cosy with grass and greenery separating
the café from the street . The indoor area is trendy and decorated in bright
pink and white with lots of flat-screen televisions, making it a popular place to go
to watch a match. There are even flat-screen televisions in the bathrooms;
so you won’t miss a single power play. We heard great reviews of their food, but we have to
say it didn’t totally wow us. The fried calamari appetiser (23LE) is presented
on a bed of greens, surrounded by tortilla chips and served with a Thousand
Island dressing. Although the calamari is fresh, there is no attempt on behalf
of the kitchen to counter the fried taste of the calamari. The thick
mayonnaise-based Thousand Island dressing and lack of lemon do not complement
the calamari in the slightest. We decided to test our luck– against our better
judgment– and order Mexican food. We went for the chicken and beef combo fajita
platter (60LE), which arrives on a sizzling plate that can be described as
mediocre at best. It was meant to come with guacamole but didn’t. After asking
the waiter, he had no idea what guacamole even was – even after pointing it out to
him on the menu. The majorly redeeming item that we ordered was the grilled
fillet with mushroom sauce (55LE), which comes with a nice assortment of
steamed vegetables and French fries. The steak was juicy and grilled to
perfection, while the mushroom sauce complemented the meat nicely and made a
yummy dipping sauce for the fries. Steamed vegetables included peppers, onions
and fresh mushrooms– all cooked and seasoned nicely. However, all of our criticisms were put to rest after
we tried the Lounge’s incredible shisha (15LE). The guava shisha left the
impression of actually eating guava– in fact; it was even tastier than guava
fruit itself. It was smooth as butter and perfectly lit. The peach flavour had
an aromatic taste unlike any other peach shisha we’ve tried – and we’ve tried
quite a few. The shisha experts at the Lounge definitely know what they’re
doing, and for us, that’s reason enough to go.
Related Review
Lurching into the 21st century, La Pietra, on the peaceful El Hegaz Street in Mohandiseen, has undergone a radical makeover. The rustic brown and terracotta hues are long gone, making way for the light, fresh décor which leaves the restaurant almost unrecognisable.
Stone and neutral colours breath new life into the place whilst the subtle use of plants and pebbles helps to bring the outdoors in; even the old dark wood tables have had their own white-wash facelift. Some dark accents still remain, though; for example, wood panelling is used to cover one of the walls and several large pillars, however, the funky multicoloured cove lighting and the impressive marble bar halt any feeling of dinginess.
Although an awful lot better than before, the minimalist theme leaves the place feeling a little uncomfortable, particularly as the tables were left clear of any customary decorations; even the standard table mat and cutlery appeared to be non existent.
Settling in our seats we scoured the vast list of chicken dishes, meat grills, pizzas, pastas, risottos, soups and salads hoping that the chef had also managed to get in on the rejuvenation. With so much to choose from, we turned to the separate specials menu for advice.
Luckily, shisha smokers are no longer confined to just the outdoor space. From what we gathered, the terrace area has decreased in size, although this may just be for winter. Not wanting to sit in the cold anyway, we were glad to be able to order one melon shisha (25.5LE) whilst sitting comfortably in the warmth.
After weighing up our options, we eventually decided on the potato soup with beef bacon (20LE), Italian stuffed chicken (59LE) and the chicken with honey and mustard (56LE), both of which come with the standard choice of two sides.
Along with these, we ordered a sunshine cocktail – with Sprite – (15LE) from their extensive drinks menu, as well as a double espresso (16LE). The waiter seemed unfamiliar with the menu, regurgitating an alien order back to us – of course, we swiftly corrected him and no harm was done.
Luckily, shisha smokers are no longer confined to just the outdoor space. From what we gathered, the terrace area has decreased in size, although this may just be for winter. Not wanting to sit in the cold anyway, we were glad to be able to order one melon shisha (25.5LE) whilst sitting comfortably in the warmth.
Unfortunately, we waited a long time for our food but the drinks, a quality, fruity shisha and the company of our group kept us entertained.
When our food did arrive – with no pause between the soup and the mains – we were immediately impressed by the portion servings. The soup bowl was averagely sized but deep, filled with deliciously creamy potato soup and beef bacon bits which added a meaty, salty twang.
The generous chicken dishes were steaming hot when they were placed on our table. The chicken strips were tender, served with fluffy white rice and smooth, mashed potato with added pieces of spring onion, which gave it a fresh and slightly unusual taste. The sauce was brilliantly creamy whilst being a perfect balance of both honey and mustard.
However, our favourite of the two was the Italian stuffed chicken. Flavoured with basil and other herbs, it was also covered in a creamy sauce but with the rich addition of sun dried tomatoes. The robust spring onion mash complimented the dish perfectly and the boiled vegetables were both fresh and satisfyingly soft.
The new look La Pietra is a world away from the original; even the chef has upped his game, creating a menu worth exploring and a venue worth visiting.
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