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

Stepping away from the usual crowded spots on a Ramadan evening, and hoping to enjoy a light and easygoing sohour outdoors, we made our way to the Nile Maxim boat for a little bit of a munch at Khulkhal.

On the top floor of the boat, the cool evening air made for a relaxed setting with view of the city all around. Usually filled with pumped-up party-goers, the boat has effortlessly adapted to Ramadan with fawanees and other festive decorations hung about.

There is a minimum charge of 100LE on weekdays and 125LE on weekends. We started with a watermelon shisha (22LE, plus 8LE for the hose) and found it to be pleasantly flavoured, though the shisha itself could have been smoother and longer-lasting.

The hommos el sham (25LE) was well balanced in spice and tartness, as well as generously filled with whole chickpeas. Soft drinks (12LE) were served with a big glass full of ice, while mint tea (18LE), which was served on the tepid side, in rather boring glass mugs.

Trying to keep things nice and light, we order a tehina (18LE) and hommos shawerma (20LE), alongside cheese goulash (25LE) and a plate of watermelon (32LE). The cheese goulash – which looked a lot like spring rolls – were delicious, stuffed with a mix of cottage and mozzarella cheeses that melted into a wonderfully soft and gooey centre.  The hommos was a little on the grainy side, but the meat on top was tasty and generous in portion; the tehina on the other hand was smooth and tangy – just as a good tehina should be. The plate of watermelon is made for two and the perfectly cut triangles came chilled and fresh.

To end our sohour on a sweet note, we opted for the rice pudding (25LE) and a sahlab (25LE). The former came in a small wine glass, in a reasonable portion. While the consistency was good, we found the dessert to be a little too sweet. The sahlab, though, was a little scarce on the nuts, but was perfectly balanced in terms of texture, flavour and sweetness.

Although we stuck to smaller dishes, Khulkhal does offer a range of grills (65LE-98LE), eggs (22LE), foul (22LE) and taameya (25LE), as well as other lighter options such as yoghurt with fruit (18LE).

If a relaxed, non-commercialised sohour is what you’re looking for, where a minimum charge won’t dig too deeply into your wallet, Khulkhal is a great option with its simple dishes and outdoor setting.