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

Over the last few years, the health conscious and weight-watchers of Cairo have been revelling in the healthy food craze that continues to take over the city. With no shortage of eateries offering healthy foods, the latest addition to the scene is Kcal in Mohandissen

As a popular Dubai-based chain, expect more branches to be opening around Cairo very soon.

The venue is modest in size, holding just a couple of tables with an easy-on-the-eyes white and green colour scheme reflecting their concept.  The menu boasts appetisers, salads, soups, main dishes, sandwiches, wraps and even light dessert options, all of which are contain less than 300 calories.

Our first attempt to make an order was met with disappointment, as we were told they had ran out of the interesting sounding Almond Crusted Chicken Bites with Cheddar Cheese (30LE) as well as their famous 290 calorie Beef Burger (40LE). What made it even more disappointing was the fact that our visit came in the early afternoon.

We instead settled on the Chicken Tandoori Wrap (40LE), the Chicken Burger (35 LE), and the Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken (60 LE).

After just ten minutes, the attentive, but slightly hurried, waiter laid our food before us. The Tandoori Wrap consisted of marinated chicken breast strips with lettuce, tomatoes and a low fat yoghurt mint dressing, all nestled in whole wheat wrap. The veggies were incredibly fresh accompanied by a good, albeit scarce, sauce. What really stood out most, however, were the perfectly tangy chicken strips.

The Honey Mustard Chicken consisted of well cooked chicken breast drizzled with a light honey mustard sauce on a bed of grilled veggies and a side of brown rice. This dish would’ve been a success had the rather dilute sauce been stronger in flavour; moreover the veggies and the rice were both bland and in desperate need of some seasoning.

The Chicken Burger, on the other hand, fared a little better. Featuring a chicken patty topped with Yoghurt Mango Chutney in a whole wheat bun, all the veggies were pleasantly crisp but our favourite part of the sandwich had to be the warm homemade bun. The patty itself was juicy and well-seasoned, but the Mango Chutney was disappointingly scarce.

Eating healthy in Cairo can be challenging at best, but the diversity and creativity of the options in Kcal’s menu will put a smile on even the most discerning health-conscious Cairene. While the food was generally satisfactory, the portions were small for the steep prices and nothing stood out in terms of flavour – the curse of healthy food restaurants in Cairo.