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

Although the space would be sentimental to anyone who grew up in Maadi, the layout also came off as a little underwhelming. The garden set up lacks finesse and unfortunately for them, by 3:30PM there was no direct sun. Settling onto the only table with a slight ray of light, we focused on the extensive menu at hand.

When they did arrive, the salad was robust, with fresh mushrooms, although the ruccola was sparse and regular lettuce filled most of the bowl. The simplicity of the salad left no justification as to why it took so long to serve either. The chilli cheese fries were more of a meal than an appetiser and though the minced meat was full of taste, it lacked any beans and while the melted cheese was satisfactory, the added paprika was unnecessary.

Another dish that suffered due an unnecessary use of paprika was the grilled shrimp sandwich (39LE). Served in balady bread with ruccola and tehina, the paprika was as a thorn in the flavours. Despite that, the shrimp were fresh, even though the sandwich, overall, was a bit dry. The French fries on the side were crunchy and enjoyable, but sadly doused in even more paprika.

The service at Rocks is pleasant, though extremely slow. The soup was served at least twenty minutes before the appetisers, making for a bit of a haphazard meal.

Rocks serves fresh ingredients in a relaxed outdoor space. So if you’re looking for a lengthy meal and are not in a hurry, this could be a good spot to spend a Saturday afternoon. However, be sure to ask for your dishes sans paprika if you are not a fan of the spice.