Cairo Restaurants
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Maestro: High Class Dining at InterContinental Citystars Cairo
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Saraya Gallery: Royal Dining at the Cairo Marriott Hotel in...
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La Bodega: One Last Time for Classic Zamalek Bistro?
Started as a family-run bakery in 1889, Paul has grown into a full sized Boulangerie and restaurant, and has opened up authentically French branches all over Cairo. Most recently, they've opened up – arguably their prettiest establishment – on Geziret El Arab Street, catching the fashionable shoppers from the near-by Lebanon Street. The black and white front gives the shop a modish look, whilst a large window display of baked good tempts the customer up a set of LED lit steps and through their double doors. We love how this Paul has spread their sophistication right up to the edge of the pavement, with traditional lamp-posts, potted plants and a screen across one side. The rustic-chic theme continues with the interior; polished wooden tables and chairs, neutral colours and a black and white chequered floor almost transports you to a quaint Parisian cafe. The waiting staff are pleasant, polite and courteous, always serving ladies first – even getting our hand bag it's own chair – whilst being ready and willing to offer their suggestions from the menu. Soon after we were comfortably seated, a complimentary basket full of fresh, flavourful brown and white bread slices was delivered swiftly to our table, along with a delicious olive tapenade, a pot of butter and olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The menu is a vast array of delicious-sounding dishes, made even more exotic by their French titles. Out of a selection of soups and quiches for starters, we opted for one Soupe a l'oignon traditionelle – or onion soup - (35LE) to share. Much to our delight, it was served in the middle of a cut-out brown loaf, rather than a standard bowl. Unfortunately though, the outside of the loaf was slightly charred, tainting the overall taste of the otherwise delectable rich soup. Bypassing all the sumptuous sounding steak, fish, salads, sandwiches and savoury crepes options, we settled on one poulet roti aux amandes (89LE) and a Gratin de macaroni au poulet (65LE). In English, the poulet was described as roasted almond chicken breast, filled with camembert cheese, whilst the gratin appeared to be a cheesy curried pasta dish, rolled with broccoli and chicken pieces. Considering the prices are slightly on the high side, neither dish looked particularly large, but before long we were struggling to finish them. We couldn't taste a lot of almond in the tender pieces of chicken, although this was probably due to the strong tasting, velvety camembert filling. The side of vegetables were well-cooked, leaving a slight crunch to the carrots, green beans and asparagus, placed alongside a mound of buttery mashed potato puree. The pasta dish was also brilliantly cooked, with a subtle hint of mustard in the creamy curry and cheese sauce. The salad side was fresh and crisp, drizzled with tangy vinaigrette. As for the drinks, there's plenty to choose from; teas and coffees (13LE-25LE), sodas (13LE), iced drinks (16LE-22LE), fresh juices (19LE-25LE) and Paul's signature cocktails (24LE-29LE). We chose one banana berries (26LE) – a fruity mix of strawberries, blueberries, red grapes, banana and fresh apple juice – and an Apple Cooler (24LE), complete with apple, strawberry and orange juice. Both were positively delectable, fresh, fruitful and incredibly satisfying, with the Banana Berries faring only slightly better in terms of flavour. Paul is also known to be a perfect spot for a relaxing cup of tea and slice of cake. A diverse selection of scrumptious cakes, pastries, macaroons and other sweet treats sit behind a sparkling counter, but are also conveniently listed in the menu. Moving away from the chocolate treats, we went for one sharp, bitter-sweet lemon tart, the 'tartelette citron' (24LE), which we certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend. If you're looking for an fashionable, upmarket, safe-bet for dinner or dessert, we'd recommend heading over to Paul. Bon apetite!
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Lebanese restaurants in Cairo are common, to say the least, but few truly elevate the cuisine. Located on El Thawra Street in Heliopolis, Tanoura struck us as being both aesthetically interesting and colourful, drawing us in with bright oranges, Mediterranean yellows and reds. The ground floor is only partially covered, creating an outside-in feel, complete with flower beds and a central palm tree. Continuing its cheerful theme indoors, the restaurant spreads over two more floors. Named after a Lebanese dance, it seemed only appropriate that Oriental music served as the backdrop to our dining experience, whilst antique, reclaimed shisha pipes are used as light fixtures and are incorporated into the interesting screen designs. We were promptly shown to our seats before the waiter discreetly told us that the minimum charge is 75LE; a minimum easy to surpass with their wide selection of tempting Lebanese dishes. All the typical hot and cold appetisers are available, along with salads, arayes, mana'eesh, fattah and grills. If Lebanese doesn't take your fancy, there's also a selection of soups and pastas to choose from. Tanoura also offer a good variation of drinks; we ordered a lemon juice (18LE) and a watermelon smoothie (25LE), both which arrived swiftly. The lemon juice was a refreshing bitter-sweet concoction whilst the watermelon – now in season – was a deliciously fresh, icy slushy. We requested one chicken fattah (45LE), an onion soup (20LE), hommos (20LE) and cheese sambousak (24LE). We didn't have to wait long, and in true Lebanese style, everything was served together. A basket of cold, soft baladi bread was delivered as an accompaniment to the creamy, well-seasoned hommos. The cheese sambousak resembled four, generously sized spring rolls, deep fried to a golden brown. Unfortunately – due to the bed of lettuce they were presented on – the underside turned soggy fairly quickly. The onion soup was rich and flavourful, complete with a considerable amount of onion pieces swimming in it. Of all the dishes, however, our chicken fattah exceeded expectations; it was a creamy mixture of large, quality chicken chunks amongst crispy bread and soft white rice. The portion was so large that we struggled to finish it along with our starters. Rather than choosing one of their Oriental desserts, we chose to wash our meal down with an apple shisha (18LE) which was as expected; fruity, flavourful and smooth. The colourful décor, chilled-out atmosphere and contemporary setting of Tanoura modernises traditional Lebanese recipes, and is proving to be a popular place for both young and more mature clientele.
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Seafood restaurants in Cairo just can't catch a break. Forever compared to their out-of-Cairo, sea-adjacent brethren, and subsequently deemed to fall short of them, seafood has always been treated with the utmost regards in Egyptian cuisine, but maybe not with care. But as the country's culinary values continue to evolve at breakneck speed, and other exotic and classical influences continue to seep in from around the world, Cairo's seafood restaurants are proving themselves as forces to be reckoned with, more and more. The Smokery (Katameya) Not one to try if you're after a quintessential Egyptian seafood experience, the Smokery actually specialises in that wonderful fish, salmon. Formulated by Chef Vincent Guillou – of Tamarai fame – the menu offers everything from salmon tartare to salmon tagliatelle, with a few equally impressive non-salmon dishes. The only potential deterrent is the pocket-burning prices. Flying Fish (Agouza) Though the Cairo 360 office stands proudly on its streets, we'll be the first to admit that Agouza isn't the trendiest part of Cairo. Despite that, real seafood connoisseurs know about Flying Fish. Offering spectacular value for money – 55LE for grilled shrimp – Flying Fish isn't particularly pleasing to the eye, but great food and great service more than make up for it. La Sirena (Heliopolis) It wasn't too long ago that one would have trouble finding top quality dining options outside of Heliopolis' several hotels, but La Sirena has been serving good seafood for quite some time – and you can tell. The restaurant is almost claustrophobically small, and the décor outdated, but it's developed a rustic charm that complements its ambitious seafood perfectly. Fandira (Maadi) Combining the culinary philosophies of both east and west, Fandira is a delivery-or-pickup-only eatery that's the pride and joy of Maadi. Offering everything from seafood sandwiches to full-on dishes, every one of Fandira's tempting options is prepared with care, skill and a touch of flair. We'd recommend the soya tuna steak – it's cooked to a perfect, juicy pink. Samakmak (Mohandiseen) Now, many will contend that none of Samakmak's Cairo branches can quite reach the heights of their Alexandrian counterpart, but the popular chain still offers one of the most dependable seafood experiences in the city. There's very little that could be considered sophisticated about Samakmak – it is a restaurant chain after all – but it consistently delivers in terms of quality. Halaket El Samak (Zamalek) Offering diners the closest thing to eating seafood by the sea, Halaket El Samak makes the most of its Nile-side location on the Nile City Boat in Zamalek. With views looking over Downtown – specifically towards the Maspero building – Halaket El Samak lets diners pick and choose their own meal from a well-stocked spread of fresh seafood. Pomodoro (Downtown) Cairo 360 has almost grown up with Pomodoro; we've seen it blossom from a small, balady-style, pavement-top gathering, to a full-out restaurant – though it's still very balady. Regardless of that, Pomodoro enjoys a cult following among expats and Downtown dwellers alike, with the seafood pastas standing as the restaurant's marquee dishes. Plus, prices are very reasonable. We love Cairo, but we feel that we would be doing seafood an injustice if we weren't to mention a few knockout restaurants in Alexandria. Fish Market has several branches in Cairo, though Alexandrians swear by the Bahari branch and Santa Lucia does mean fish dishes, while the best seafood experience we've had in Egypt was at Kasr Ras El Teen's branch of Samakmak. Before we wish you happy dining, we urge you to wash your hands thoroughly after eating – nothing's worse than fishy fingers. Happy dining!
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For years, we've heard many a Cairene complain about the lack of real good pizza at restaurants in Cairo – we've all endured a restaurant that doesn't quite get the difference between pizza dough and bread dough at one time or another. But worry not; international restaurant chain, Rossopomodoro, has come from Naples – via 120 other branches around the world – to rescue us all. Given that Naples is known for the being home of Italian pizza, it's safe to assume that this Italian franchise, located in Downtown Katameya Mall, would serve decent pizza; luckily, we were not disappointed. The casual dining experience of Rossopomodoro comes with a decor that features a white wooden interior, various writings on the wall and a pleasant open kitchen. It's not a fancy restaurant by any means, but dining at Rossopomodoro may well be the closest you will get to eating in Naples itself. Our first fifteen minutes there were a little discouraging, since the prices were peculiarly handwritten on the menus and the waitresses were done-up like 50's air hostesses. Despite that, the items on the menu grabbed our attention and it took us quite some time to decide on what to order, before testing the restaurant's pizza; margherita (49LE), four-cheese (59LE) and vegetarian (53LE). The margherita pizza was nothing short of a great; its crust was tender with a little crisp to it and the dough itself was flavourful without tasting like flour. The tomato sauce tasted of fresh tomatoes and was somewhat pleasingly sweet, while the mozzarella was remarkably creamy. Overall, the pizza was seasoned well with a salty undercurrent and was far from being greasy. Topped with caciocavallo cheese, buffalo mozzarella, blue cheese and smoked provolone cheese, the flavours of the four-cheese pizza were perfectly balanced and the stronger cheeses didn't dominate our palate. The vegetarian pizza came topped with fresh eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, parmesan cheese and basil, and again showed great balance of flavours. Since it wouldn't be fair to visit an Italian restaurant without trying their pastas, we ordered a Pennetta (52LE). This penne dish is served with cherry tomatoes, fried eggplant, zucchini and Pecorino cheese, and was just as flavourful as the pizzas. The ingredients were all as fresh and appetising, but the amount of vegetables and cheese were a little on the sparse side. For dessert, we shared a delicious Calde Calde (15LE); three pieces of fried pizza dough, topped with Nutella chocolate and vanilla sugar. The saltiness of the dough made for a nice contrast with the toppings and is perfect for chocolate lovers. Though the level of service was questionable – the waiters were very casual and too familiar with customers – Rossopomodoro's food outshone any shortcomings.
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Italian restaurants in Cairo are a dime a dozen and even when there is no specialised 'ristorante' around, most regular eateries feature pizza and pasta as a staple on their menu. Despite that, good affordable Italian food remains a bit of a holy grail in this crazy city, as most medium-priced restaurants attempt to satisfy their customers with uninspired, bland favourites of the Italian cuisine. Cortigiano is a chain of Italian restaurants, with branches in Dokki, Nasr City, Heliopolis, Maadi and even one in Alexandria. Their branch in Dokki is a stone's throw away from the Shooting Club on Michel Bakhoum and can easily be spotted by the leafy green plants outside and the soft yellow awnings. Inside, the décor is merry; the faux-brick panelled walls are plastered with kitschy knickknacks, such as a violin, a guitar, a life buoy, an antique gramophone and many, many picture frames with old black and white photos of Italy. The menu boasts a picture of the Coliseum in Rome, too; clearly, the designers went out of their way to get that 'authentic' Italian feel. The seating comprises of heavy wooden tables, of which some have sturdy wooden chairs, while others have couches and comfortable reading chairs. The service at Cortigiano is prompt and at any given time, there are many waiters bussing around. Even at the busiest of times, we had no issue getting someone's attention and our glasses of mineral water were continuously topped up. We would advise you to go to Cortigiano on a very empty stomach, as their servings are generally massive. The insalata greca, Greek salad (19.95LE), could easily have served as an entrée for a table of four. Unfortunately, it was a little dry, but the vegetables were certainly fresh and the feta hit the right level of density and flavour. Even the soups could have been served as full meals, along with the croutons and the garlic bread sticks that came with our order. The creme di pomodoro tomato soup (14.95LE) was thick, full of flavour, yet a bit flat, while the zuppa di cipolle onion soup (15.95LE) had a far too overwhelming taste – and smell – of onion and was slightly watery Pizzas at Cortigiano are of the thin, crisp base variety, but the pizza margherita (29.95LE) we ordered was a bit too oily. The shrimp and calamari in the spaghetti alla marinara (54.95LE) were a little overcooked, but the spaghetti was perfectly al dente. The penne al quatro formaggi (31.95LE), meanwhile, was just an overload of generic cheese flavour and we doubt there was any actual parmezan or gorgonzola used in it. One dish that was curiously missing from the menu was a pasta Arrabiata. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate cake (an absolute steal at 14.95LE), which again, was a massive serving, but rather tasty. The mound of chocolate cake was draped with hot chocolate fudge that nicely compensated the dryness of the cake. The fudge was very heavy, but not too sweet. Overall, the food at Cortigiano is decent, but alas, nothing to write home about. One thing that really got us excited about this restaurant, however, was the hilarious selection of music – Cortigiano's playlist is the epitome of tackiness.
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Sushi restaurants in Cairo are plentiful and we're lucky that, more often than not, said restaurants deliver in terms of quality. In the Korba area of Heliopolis, Sushi Bay have gone and done it again. They've teamed up with Canadian coffee giant, Café Supreme, to create a high-class eating establishment where diners can grab a coffee-shop snack, or hang around a bit longer and sample some fresh fish. There was a ring of sophistication about the whole place, making it both friendly and formal. Inside, contemporary music played and in the outdoor area, shisha pipes gurgled in the moonlight. The design and crockery oozed trendiness, featuring simple bold print designs and a sleek stainless steel kitchen on display at the back. We instantly took a liking to the staff, who jovially greeted us at the door. From the small starters menu, we ordered Chicken Karaage (28LE) – fried chicken strips with spicy Korean sauce – and Ebi Tempura (36LE); fried shrimp on a bed of rice noodles, with a side of cream cheese. Our starters had an artisan look about them and tasted subtle and refined. Although the chicken was good, it could easily have been a dish from Café Supreme, as it lacked any far eastern authenticity despite the fruity-spiced dip that accompanied it. The battered shrimp were large and packed plenty of meat; each of the five morsels were cooked to a perfect tenderness with that little bit of crunch and tang in each bite. Sushi Bay's menu allows diners to choose between a four, six or eight piece sushi set that include every imaginable type, all rolled up into a dainty delicacy. They update their menu regularly to bring in new treats such as the latest: Buddha Peste with caviar, or Tropical Kiwi, where sea bass meets pineapple, kiwi and avocado. Sadly, main courses stop at sushi, and no other Japanese dishes are available. However, the stunning sushi wowed us from the start with its impeccable presentation, evidently crafted by a meticulous kitchen. We had ordered the 24-piece combination dish, costing 165LE, which proved more than enough for two sushi gluttons. All the fish was fresh and moist, and all were flavourful including the milder tastes of the tuna and salmon. Sushi Bay have a good balance of flavours, with hints of sesame in the right place and complementing sauces that set off the meal. Despite serving up an impeccable and authentic dinner, the ambience of the place doesn't really say sushi, and it would be nice if the restaurant committed a little more to their theme. There's no drinks menu or desserts, meaning we had to refer back to Café Supreme's menu for those items. We left wondering why Sushi Bay don't go the whole way with their Japanese cuisine; t's a move that could easily help set themselves apart from the other sushi chains in Cairo.
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In the last year or so, the landscape of Cairo restaurants has been shaped by one thing: burgers. With Zamalek housing an array of allegedly gourmet burger joints, Butcher's Burger has brought the culinary trend to Mohandiseen. Located off of the quiet Aswan Square, Butcher's Burger uses its space well; a clear path to the kitchen is flanked by tables that fit small to medium groups. The décor is playful, with one exposed brick wall adding a dramatic touch to the otherwise natural wood and beige interior. Adorning the walls are a random selection of retro memorabilia and pop-art film images including one of the Big Lebowski and another of Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York, as well as a couple of large plaques carrying burger and meat-related quotes – our favourite was a Carson Daly musing: A good butcher is important to have. It's like a shrink. The restaurant offers diners an extensive menu of burgers and steaks, with a generous selection of starters also available. Though a complimentary basket of corn chips with salsa and sour cream dips made for a suitable opening to the meal, it wasn't till the Mega Sampler (44LE) landed at our table that we were really able to get things going. Said sampler includes onion rings, fried mushrooms, fried cheese balls and fried dill pickles – in other words, a heart attack on a plate. To our surprise, however, everything tasted fresh and greasiness was at a minimum, with the fried cheese balls being the standout. As lovely as that all was, we came for meat. Of the many burger variations, we opted for the Mighty Butcher (69LE); a whopping 350 gram patty topped with lettuce, cheese, caramelised onions, jalapenos, pickles, beef bacon and homemade garlic mayonnaise. Requested to be cooked medium, this mountain of a burger came unevenly cooked, though the flavours were all there. The patty had a satisfyingly handsome set of grill marks to it and the overload of toppings all contributed to the taste. Served with a portion of unremarkable fries and a rather wet serving of coleslaw, this is not a burger for the fainthearted. The same can be said of the tenderloin steak (106LE). Served with your choice of two sides – choices being baked potato, grilled vegetables, fries or pasta – we made the mistake of going for a baked potato, which was huge. The potato was over-baked and the sour cream that came with it was warm and tasted closer to yoghurt. The grilled vegetables also came in a generous portion, but were much more suited to the steak. Cooked perfectly to the requested medium-well and boasting a perfectly balanced charcoal taste, the accompanying mushroom sauce was thick and fresh, with pieces of fresh mushroom that somehow avoided becoming soggy and limp. To balance the copious amounts of meat coursing through our veins, we also tried the restaurant's smoothies (22LE). Both the peach and mixed berry versions were sweet and full of its corresponding fruit flavours, but large pieces of ice made it difficult to enjoy. Butcher's Burger is short of being perfect, but it's mighty close. With fresh, quality ingredients used throughout a simple, unpretentious menu, the few kinks that beset our meal should, and hopefully will, be easily ironed out. Now that's something to get excited about.
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Indian restaurants in Cairo are slowly becoming more and more frequent, as Egypt's dining scene continues to evolve. With that, comes a more sophisticated collective palate that demands the highest quality dining experience. Everyone has their favourites and it can be impossible to work out where your hard-earned money is best put to delicious use. As has become instinctive at Cairo 360, we've waded through the riff-raff to bring you Indian restaurants in Cairo that deserve your attention. Asia House Though it looks more Middle Eastern than it does Indian, Asia House has proven to be one of the Shepheard Hotel's most popular restaurant. Though a three course meal will burn a sizeable whole in your pocket, you're in good hands; the chefs at Asia House know what they're doing. But more than just exerting their energies into bubbling up great sauces, they know how to treat meat well – a downfall of many an Indian restaurant in Cairo. Asha's With an immaculate and sleek interior, plus views of the Nile from its Giza Corniche location, Asha's falls somewhere between hotel and high street. As part of a chain named after singer/culinary mastermind, Asha Bhosle, each and every dish comes from the songstress herself. Though it too suffers from inconsistency, when it's right, it's right. Pricier than most of the restaurants on this list, Asha's share quarters with Chinese restaurant, Chop Chop, so you could always gall back onto that. Begum Run by the culinary brains behind Zamalek favourite, Nawab, Begum is still trying to reach the same heights as its sister-restaurant. Offering an almost identical menu, this Maadi restaurant lacks atmosphere, but more than makes up for it with delicious basics – naan being particularly addictive. For all its shortcomings, however, it does offer Maadi residents a dependable and affordable Indian dining option. Maharaja The Ramses Hilton is often belittled in the face of competition in Garden City and Zamalek, but in Maharaja, the Downtown hotel has a gem of a restaurant. There's little about the space to distinguish it from a generic hotel restaurant, but a visible tandoor oven adds a precious little touch; there's nothing quite like seeing your food made as you wait in anticipation. The best thing about Maharaja, though, is that it caters to all palates; vegetarians will be spoilt for choice, while more tempered tongues will feel at ease. 'Authentic' isn't exactly a word you'd use here, but that doesn't mean it should be written off. Massala As one of the first Indian restaurants to strike a note with Heliopolis residents, Massala offers the whole package. Tucked away in the Karvin Hotel, Massala takes you out of the hustle and bustle of Cairo and transports you to an evening of dining that is as authentically Indian as you'll find in the city. Prices are lower than what you'd find at the bigger hotels, but that it no way reflects on the quality of food. The Moghul Room As the pride and joy of the famous Mena House hotel, the Moghul Room is quite something. Though the hotel is no longer part of the Oberoi group, standards have not slipped. Not even a little bit. Granted, a full meal may inflict a considerable dent in your wallet, but the Moghul Room delivers on every level. From the quality of food to the service, this is one Indian restaurant in Cairo that is befitting of the grandeur of its location – just a few camel steps away from the Great Pyramids of Giza. Nawab So dear to so many hearts, Nawab is the epitomy of what an Indian restaurant should be – no frills, no flash, just good food. Though some may scoff at its increasingly untended appearance, once you've picked, ripped and dipped a piece of freshly made naan into anyone of their butter sauce dishes, you'll fall into a trance. Nawab has notoriously gone through some erratic patches in terms of quality, but its pros outweigh its cons, no question. Nile Bukhara Maadi's Nile Bukhara usually hits the peak of its popularity during Ramadan, offering vegetarian fetar options. During the rest of the year, the restaurant weeds out the men from the boys. When Nile Bukhara says 'spicy', boy does it mean it; spicy is really spicy and mild is really mild – there is no in between. But across the menu, this is one Indian restaurant that is consistent. It's by no means spectacular, reasonable prices makes it an easy visit. Raj As part of the Fairmont Heliopolis and Towers' eclectic array of dining options, Raj has almost zero atmosphere, as the seating area is located in the huge indoor boulevard where all the restaurants are lined up. Despite this, you can't really fault what comes out of the kitchen in terms of execution and flavours. If you're looking for a feast, however, you may well be disappointed; in true fine dining style, portions are petite and prices are high – one main will set you back at least 100LE, without factoring in rice. Taj Al Sultan Suffering from the dearth of tourism, Taj Al Sultan's uniqueness has proved to be its downfall in recent times. Located in the formerly teeming Khan El Khalili and Al Azhar Square area, the three-storey restaurant actually offers both Egyptian and Indian options, though the latter is rarely favoured by locals and subsequently suffers. As a space, Taj Al Sultan delivers what it promises in terms of atmosphere and décor, living up to the grandeur that its name and location suggests. Happy eating, Cairo!
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Desperately trying to keep up with demand, Cairo dining chains aspire to moving into Zamalek. Following a branch in Mohandiseen, Italian restaurant-come-café-come-shisha place, Golio's, has opened up its second branch on the busy 26th July Street. The décor is both contemporary and colourful, mixing charcoal greys and brightly coloured seat cushions, as well as large comfortable suede sofas to perch on. The glass door was left open for the entirety of our visit – perhaps for ventilation of the shisha smoke – making for a fairly noisy mealtime. Immediately after walking through the door, a waiter ushered us over to a free table, menus in hand. We marvelled over the size and diversity of the menu, pondering over an array of soups, salads, Sicilian starter dishes, pizzas, pastas, chicken and meat dishes. Before turning our attention to the medley of hot and cold beverages, we settled on an antipasto Siciliano to share (45LE); a tempting selection of fried mozzarella cheese, pizzetta – mini pizzas – parmigiana di melanzane and bruschetta. For our mains, we chose one Beef Stroganoff (81LE) and a veal picatta with lemon and mushroom (85LE). Out of all the cocktails, fresh juices and hot drinks, we put our trust in Golio's and opted for a Golio's Favourite (33LE) and a lemon and mint juice (19LE). The Golio's Favourite turned out to be our favourite too; a thick, creamy milkshake tasting exactly like Snickers chocolate, complete with lashings of sticky caramel sauce. The lemon and mint juice wasn't far behind, freshly squeezed but a little too undiluted and bitter. Our antipasto starter turned out to be more than adequate for two people, with generous amounts of each taster, served with a tangy pink sauce. The fried mozzarella cheese was perfectly golden, gooey and flavourful whilst the mini pizzas were delicious, although they were made up more of the base than the salami and olive topping. The parmigiana di melanzane was soft, fresh eggplant topped with scrummy melted cheese. Meanwhile, the tomato-topped bruschetta maintained the trending freshness, served atop white, toasted baguette slices. Both main courses were sizable, swimming in generous amounts of sauce. The beef Stroganoff was good quality but was overpowered by the taste of barbeque sauce; even the pieces of pepper failed to bring balance to the dish. Our sides of smooth, creamy mash and soft, garlic butter vegetables were much more delectable. The veal picatta faired slightly worse; the veal pieces were slightly chewy, but were saved by the tangy lemon sauce, whilst a side of al dente pasta in a tasteless white sauce led to further disappointment. For dessert, we went for a portion of profiteroles (32LE), which again, were enough to share between two. The doughy balls gave us a slight carb overload and were filled with creamy custard and covered in an incredibly rich chocolate sauce. Golio's new road-side branch provides the essentials – shisha and food – in a comfortable, contemporary setting, although the chef might do a little better in the food department if he remembers quality is better than quantity.
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Traditional Palestinian dishes are not easy to come by in Cairo restaurants, but El Owda – a family business run by Gazans – serves up the region's specialties with meticulous attention to detail and gracious service. Nestled on a quiet street in Nasr City, the restaurant has a modestly elegant and clean outdoor dining area framed by green plants and trees, and a logo featuring Jerusalem's gold-topped Dome of the Rock Mosque. There are a few tables inside, but the outdoor area is much more spacious, with half a dozen tables that are set far enough from each other and from the street to ensure comfort and privacy. Traffic is quiet and the atmosphere is relaxed. We came for the delicious falafel sandwiches (1.50LE), which were made the Levantine way, with chickpeas instead of the fava beans, as used in the Egyptian version. We stayed to order a smorgasbord of various dishes we couldn't resist. "Whatever your eye desires", the Palestinian waiter told us after taking the order. The falafel sandwiches were crisp and slightly lighter and tangier than the Egyptian taameya. The sausage sandwiches (3LE) were made with finely-minced beef that is so soft that it melts in your mouth and the spinach sambousek (2.50LE) were crunchy on the outside with a chewy and hearty filling. Other options on the menu included minced meat, oregano and cheese sambousak, at 3LE each. The side dishes at El Owda are the stars of the menu, rather than an afterthought to a meal. The green salad, which looked like an unassuming pile of tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions, was spectacular. A vinaigrette dressing with a hefty dose of garlic and a hint of cumin brought out the freshness of the vegetables and gave them an extra kick. Good hummus isn't easy to come by, and we are mostly forced to buy it in cans from a supermarket and mix it at home. At El Owda, however, we ordered two different delicious varieties to eat with pita bread (baked off-site) and satisfy our craving. At 7LE each, the regular hummus was creamy with a dash of olive oil, while the misabahah version was chunkier with a slightly fuller flavour. After the meal, we could hardly move, but got up anyways to buy a jar of Sinai olives, said to have a similar flavour to the world-famous Palestinian olives. Pickled vegetables were also available to take-away from the sparklingly-clean kitchen. They ranged in price from assorted pickled vegetables for 5LE, to pickled eggplant stuffed with nuts or makdous, for 40LE. El Owda, or "the return" in Arabic, is named after the principle that says Palestinian refugees and their descendants have a right to return to what is now Israel. Although that possibility might seem like a pipe-dream to many, this little restaurant in Cairo is sure to bring back at least a taste of home to the refugees who know its flavours and introduce many Egyptians to this tasty cuisine.
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