The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

With the hype of winning Battle of the Burgers under its belt, Backfire had us pumped and excited to try out their winning burgers. Located in Mirage Mall at the beginning of the Suez-Cairo Road, we entered what is a biker-themed burger joint with motorcycle and superbike-like interior – helmet-ceiling lights, motorcycle-exhaust shisha, tires-shaped seats and even automotive-inspired metal menus. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the very friendly staff and were shown to our seats.

We started things off with the Cheddar Chili Chicken Flutes (39 LE) as an appetiser and as our mains, we decided to jump headfirst into Backfire’s award winning burgers; the 111 Cubic inch burger (72 LE) and the Trio SGF (72 LE) with a non-alcoholic Red Sangria pitcher (92 LE).

A mix of cheddar cheese, jalapenos, minced chicken and sausage rolled together into tortilla flutes and deep-fried and served with spicy tomato sauce, the Cheddar Chili Chicken Flutes were lovely spicy pieces from heaven with a crispy-on-the-outside tortilla bread and a spicy tomato sauce a which gave it a great kick – it was a great start for the night.

Our red sangria, which came a few minutes later, was a mixture of non-alcoholic red wine, red and green apples, orange juice, mint, mixed berries, kiwi, pineapple, lemon and cinnamon – an overwhelming combination which had a sweet and sour taste and worked perfectly as a fire extinguisher for our spicy appetiser. 

Then came our burgers – along with some latex gloves to reduce the burger mess to a minimum. Served in a pan and surrounded by French fries on all sides, the 111 Cubic inch burger came in what one can only described as rugged presentation and was drenched with too much cheese and BBQ chili con carne, which was part of its downfall, unfortunately, especially with a spongy, slightly stale bun which crumbled as we ate.   

Served with some fries, parmesan cheese and marinara sauce – which felt a little out of place – the Trio SGF was the burger version of a parmesan chicken which was even huge, even dwarfing the bread around it. We cut the burger in half to reveal beneath the fried crispy exterior; a grilled patty stuffed with a mix of cheeses and jalapenos, topped by some lettuce, mayo, onions and a slice of tomato. It was an extremely heavy combo bursting with flavours, but again, the bun wasn’t fresh. The fries with both burgers were great, boasting a spicy flavour which complemented the taste rich, thick potato cuts.

We ended the night with a Skillet Apple Crumbles (45LE); a pan infused with crumbles, apple chunks, some crunchy almonds, drizzled with cinnamon, and caramel sauce, all topped with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream; a great dessert which had a delightful overall taste, with every element having its say and working in harmony.

All in all, our meal Backfire was satisfying, to say the least, particularly with appetiser and dessert. However, at the time of our visit, we couldn’t help but be disappointed with the small missteps in the burgers.