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

Whenever we hear about a restaurant launching a special menu following a specific theme, it’s hard not to get excited, because it lets the restaurant showcase a more creative side. But we reached a new level of excitement altogether when Four Seasons First Residence’s La Gourmandise announced a mango-themed menu – because who doesn’t love mangos?

We expected it to be a set menu, as is usually the case, but La Gourmandise’s special dishes are way too many, with the restaurant offering two types of soups, two salads, one sushi roll, one hot appetiser, two main dishes and three kinds of desserts. We caught wind of an avocado soup alongside mango-stuffed konafa, but sadly it wasn’t available at the time of our visit.

Skipping the soup, we opted for the Buffalo Mozzarella Salad (150LE). The salad consisted of arugula, sliced cherry tomatoes, mini bites of buffalo mozzarella and mango slices, all tossed in a rich, creamy and spicy dressing and drizzled with some balsamic vinegar for some tanginess, alongside three skewers that consists of a cube of mango, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and a slice of avocado. The flavours were very similar to a tangy caprese salad, but toned down and brightened up with the fresh mangos and the spicy dressing, which were a perfect match.

Moving to the mains, we started with the Grilled Chicken (150LE), which came as a piece of well-seasoned and tender grilled chicken laying on a bed of quinoa in curry sauce that had perfectly balanced flavours, topped with sad-looking green beans that didn’t add anything to the dish, and served with a sweet and refreshing mango salsa – a mix of red peppers, onions, mango cubes and coriander. We loved how the bold flavours of the curry sauce were toned down and balanced by the mango salsa and took the grilled chicken to a whole new level of deliciousness. The presentation of the dish, however, didn’t look appealing at all, but it was one of the most interesting dishes we’ve had in a while.

The Maple Glazed Salmon (350LE), meanwhile, had its ups and downs. Unlike the chicken, we loved the deconstructed presentation of the dish. Flavour-wise, the maple and soy glaze added a terrific sweet and tangy flavour and roasting the mangos gave it more intense flavours. On the other hand, cutting the salmon into small pieces made it very, very dry and it was almost enough to ruin the whole dish, while the coriander on top of the mangos didn’t add any flavour whatsoever.

We also tried the Shrimp Tempura Sushi Roll (290LE). The uramaki roll was filled with shrimp tempura, avocado and a hint of cream cheese, and then topped with fresh mango slices and drizzled with a thick, spicy and garlicky mango sauce – which was the highlight of the roll. We were also impressed with how light the rice was; it was far from starchy and it contributed to the overall flavour, while the spot-on cream cheese added a richness and creaminess that brought all the ingredients together without overpowering them.

We finished our meal with what as an absolutely giant Mango Mille-Feuillet (95LE). The layers of flaky Mille Feuillet were separated with thick and smooth mango coulis, topped with whipped cream and mango cubes, and served with a cup of even more mango cubes. The dessert was very simple, but beautifully presented and well-executed; it wasn’t overly sweet but satisfied our sweet tooth cravings perfectly.

Fun, creative and delicious are the most apt words for La Gourmandise’s mango menu. These dishes don’t have mango in them just for the sake of it; each one seems to have been well-thought out to ensure that this sweetest of fruits compliments and elevates all its accompanying ingredients – and that’s what makes it such a success. We’d have no qualms in returning to try more, but at almost 1400LE for all the above, it isn’t cheap.