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

Restaurants
Le Chantilly

Le Chantilly: Classical Swiss Restaurant in Heliopolis

reviewed by
Waleed Abuarab
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Le Chantilly: Classical Swiss Restaurant in Heliopolis
Our appreciation of El Korba and its
unique architecture continues to grow every day. Le Chantilly is one of
several Swiss restaurants scattered around Cairo, such as Le Chateau and Le Chalet in Giza, all of which are owned and run by un-creatively named chain, Swiss Restaurants.

Although we’ve frequented Korba quite often, roaming its clear streets
and browsing its shops, there never came the right time for us to enjoy a
sit down dinner at Le Chantilly. Like so many Cairenes, we’d only
really ventured into Le Chantilly for a dose of their popular Oriental
sweets and ice creams. But this time around, we arrived hungry and we
intended to take our sweet time.

A pleasant doorman
welcomed us through the entrance, leading into where the extended
refrigerators filled with sweets are available for take-away. Moving
further down a narrow hallway will lead you to dining area which is
split up into three sections; an indoor space, an open-air terrace and a
bar. The interior is relaxed and classical, giving off soothing,
romantic vibe.

The waiters are dressed traditionally, in shirt and bow-tie, and the cuisine focuses on both Swiss and French delicacies.

We began our meal with a shared salad
(28LE) which was served in a dish with several compartments filled with
fresh carrots, tomatoes, beetroot, potatoes, lentils and boiled eggs
with Thousand Island dressing. For mains we ordered the flamboyant
Émincé de veau à la zurichoise (95LE) – minced veal prepared Zurich
style – which comes as veal pieces and mushrooms, with rice and sautéed
vegetables on the side; the dish was superb in both flavour and
presentation. The cordon bleu (65LE), with fresh turkey rolls and hash
brown potatoes, was also excellent.

The meal would not have been complete without an order of strawberry
ice-cream – known to be the restaurant’s speciality. We also tried
their ‘fraise wafer coupe’ (24LE), which is essentially three scoops of
vanilla ice-cream, topped with strawberry sauce and fresh strawberries,
served in a crunchy biscuit cup. We cannot begin to describe how
heavenly this dish was and to what extent people head to Le Chantilly
just for their strawberry items. A cup of coffee or a pot of tea after
your meal will cost you 13LE.

Le Chantilly impressed us across
the board; the swift service, the cleanliness and the expertly prepared
menu left us with little to criticise.

360 Tip

Head to the bar area for a drink before or after your meal.

Best Bit

The classical setting takes you back in time.

Worst Bit

The prices are relatively high.

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