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

When it comes dining in Cairo, the pairing of the words ‘restaurant‘ and ‘cafe‘ is one that we’ve come to approach with caution. Though at the very base of both meanings of the words the two should meld seamlessly into one another, it often results in the restaurant element suffering. Occasionally, however, some places buck the trend – as is the case with one of Maadi’s newest eateries, Casa Lingo.

With a gorgeous courtyard area painted in shades of grey complimented by a lot of greenery, glass panels and stone cladding, Casa Lingo definitely looks the part. Both indoor and outdoor areas carry the same grey colour scheme with brighter coloured cushions on the chairs and couches. In short, the venue is extremely comfortable and even features extensive activities for your kids.

As we walked in through the courtyard, a waiter greeted us warmly and led us to an empty table where we found our menus. Covering everything from warm drinks and appetisers to main courses and desserts, the menu is both large and varied.

To get an all-around sense of the appetisers, we opted for a Lovely Sharing Oriental Appetisers platter (94LE) which features Sambousak, Kobeba, Oriental Sausages, Chicken Liver as well as Tehina and Baba Ghanoug. From the mains, we opted for the Shrimp Curry (84LE) and the Beef Steak (89LE).

The  appetiser platter was served relatively quickly while we waited for our mains. Along with a fresh bread basket, the slightly overpriced platter was in fact quite delicious. The sambousak and kobeba had a perfect crisp, while the chicken liver was just the right amount of tangy.

During our wait, we noticed that the shishas being served smelled particularly tasty, which adds another dimension of laidback venue to Casa Lingo.

A few minutes later our waiter stepped outside with our food. The plates looked quite scrumptious, with the Shrimp Curry smelling particularly good. Served with a side of yellow basmati rice and sautéed vegetables, the poached shrimp tasted fresh and delicious. The curry itself wasn’t as thick as some of the ones we’ve tried, but in this particular case it worked in the dish’s favour.

In regards to the Beef Steak, we were encouraged by the fact that our waiter asked how we wanted it cooked; it’s still somewhat of a rarity outside of restaurants that specialise in steak. We asked for it to be cooked medium and that’s exactly what we got. The steak wasn’t covered in gravy, but had just enough to give you something to mix the fluffy white rice with. The meat was tender and just the right colour on the inside.

We love new venues because they try their hardest at offering the best service and quality food. While our experience at Casa Lingo was superb, we can only hope it doesn’t fall into the same rut of cutting corners that most new restaurants do.