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

On a crisp Thursday evening, with not much to do, we decided to visit one of the most talked-about restaurants in Korba, and now in 5A New Cairo: Numa. The restaurant caught our eye with their newly introduced collaboration with one of Cairo’s most iconic pizza spots, What the Crust, which serves authentic Neapolitan brick-oven pizza. Numa and What the Crust have come together to produce high-quality dough, and What the Crust shares the process and the ingredients used to make the thin but hearty dough pizza with a charred crust that we all know and love. 

The place has an extensive outdoor area that is beautifully decorated and inviting even in the bone-aching cold that is this winter. In the centre of the outdoor space is a beautifully lit tree, around which are the tables. There are, of course, much-needed heaters all over the place. The similarly lit indoor exudes warm vibes and a cosy environment to sit in. The place is equally fancy and casual: a good combination of both worlds. 

We started our night off with their Sausage Spring rolls and Veal Tenderloin Bites. The spring rolls were perfectly salty and crunchy, and the sausage’s umami flavour and the balsamic glaze balanced the entire dish. The Veal Tenderloin Bites were cooked just right: medium. Not a lot of chewing was required, which is always a good sign when it comes to beef. The tenderloin bites laid on a bed of a homemade balsamic sauce, which was delicious, but a little too sweet for an acidic dressing for our liking. 

Then we tried their Truffle Mushroom Pizza and Chicken Parmesan for our main dishes. It is easy to say that the pizza was the star of the night. The white truffle sauce was light and decadent, while the mushroom added a bit of a crunch to the texture of the pizza. The crust was perfectly chewy and airy with some charred edges that upped the flavour a few notches. However, the pizza was a bit soupy when it arrived at our table, but we gave it a bit of time to cool down and firm up to be able to fold and enjoy: The authentic Neapolitan way to eat a pizza. 

The Chicken Parmesan came undercooked at first, but the waiters were happy to replace our dish. The chicken was a bit thick for a chicken parmesan dish, and the crust was a little soggy from the tomato sauce slathered on top. The sauce was a bit too sweet, which didn’t help with the oily flavour of the fried chicken breast. The dish came with a side of red sauce spaghetti, which was delicious. The sauce was fresh and light, with flavours of basil and garlic coming through, and the pasta was perfectly al dente. The onions and the garlic weren’t overcooked, which gave the overall dish a bit of a bite that worked in its favour. 

We ended our meal with a Mango Passionfruit smoothie and a Chocolate Fondant. The smoothie was great, and the texture was thick as it should be: a truly by-the-book smoothie, but the passionfruit flavour didn’t really come through. The smoothie was still a delicious and fresh ending to a hearty meal. Sadly, the sweet ending wasn’t too sweet; the Chocolate Fondant was about 40 minutes late and a bit of a disappointment. We cut into our dessert, impatiently anticipating a pool of warm chocolate to ooze out down the middle; however, none of that happened. In fact, the inside of the chocolate fondant was only a little moist, with barely any melted chocolate. We wouldn’t say it was worth the wait.