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

You know those days when you just crave a burger, but you’re bored of the usual? Well, it happens to us too and the last time it did, New Zealand burger chain, Burger Fuel, seemed as good a choice as any.

Located at Shooting Club Street, we felt a little lost and confused when it came to the Dokki branch’s entrance, due to there being two; one door leads onto stairs heading to the upper floor, while the other leads to a dining area with another door heading to the stairs, while the lack of staff on the ground floor didn’t help the situation.

The upper floor has yet another door heading to a closed dining area – or smoking area since we just connected the dots when we found ashtrays on the tables – but we finally found the counter to order. Despite the maze-like design, the interior was pretty simple with wooden flooring, an exposed industrial ceiling, grey walls and a good variety of seating arrangements.

The ‘100% grass fed beef smashed burger’ specialist offers a wide variety of burgers with unique toppings to each sandwich, but the BF Monster (59LE) stands out most for its exquisite toppings. Served in a wonderfully dense yet soft-to-the-bite bun, the beef patty was laying on a bed of thinly sliced beetroot and topped with beef bacon, melted cheddar cheese, smashed avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. There was also meant to be ‘juicy’ mango pieces, but it was just a mango sauce. Nevertheless, the toppings were super fresh and the combo of mango sauce with beetroot added an exotic flavour to the sandwich, but unfortunately the patty was very dry and chewy, and the beef bacon was a no show.

We ordered Cheesy Fries (25LE) as a side to the burger, which came in a box that was filled to the top. Despite the thick fries being cooked perfectly, they were over-salted and needed more cheese.

We also tried the Crispy Chicken Charger (40LE) and added 25LE to make it a combo with fries and soft drink. Two chicken tenders are fried in a cornflake-crust and topped with fresh vegetables, melted cheese and chilli aioli, which added a terrific sweet, spicy and garlicky flavour. Unlike the burger, this sandwich was flawless. The side of fries was also served with regular aioli, because who doesn’t like a garlicky dip?

Finishing a burger meal with a Vanilla Shake (25LE) to go, the sweetness and the thick consistency of the shake were just spot-on. The shake was simple and well made.

Overall, Burger Fuel’s far from juicy beef burger was disappointing but the chain surprised us with their crispy chicken sandwich and the fresh ingredients used in the sandwiches as a whole. However, 220LE for a meal for two at a fast food chain is way too overpriced.