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

Sometimes, a good steak dinner is all you need to forget about a long and stressful day. Wanting a no-fuss, no-nonsense dinner, we made our way to the provider of just that.

Having done quite well for itself expanding throughout the capital, Steak Out has been providing Egyptians with a cosy atmosphere, albeit a little too identical between all the branches, and quality food in very decent portions.

The Heliopolis branch, across from the Tivoli Dome, sports the same dark brown/black and red colour scheme and comfortable cushioned seating areas all the other branches do. For many, the consistency, even in the decor, is part of the restaurant’s charm.

As we approached the door, a waiter pulled it open and greeted us with a smile. We asked to be seated in the smoking section and were promptly served menus and a bottle of water.

After scanning the extensive menu, we opted for a Cream of Chicken Soup (15.90LE) as well as a Country Chicken Caesar Salad (44.90LE) for our starters. For our mains, we opted for a Beef Fillet with Pepper Sauce (81.90LE) and a Steak Out Fried Chicken (64.90LE).

The Soup and Salad were served shortly afterwards. The Soup, strongly zesty but without a strong base of broth, tasted quite unsatisfying. Moving on to the salad, which was very generous in portion and consisted of mainly lettuce, croutons and chunks of country fried chicken topped with a decent, but unspectacular dressing. All together, the taste was indeed pleasant, but still not particularly memorable.

We eagerly awaited our mains hoping they could rectify the situation. Soon enough, a waiter came with our tray of food and proceeded to clear the table before placing the new entrees.

The Beef Fillet was ordered medium cooked, but was disappointingly cooked to an inconsistent medium well, leaving it surprisingly hard to chew on the outside, yet really red inside. The sides of french fries and sweet corn were adequate.

The Steak Out Fried Chicken, involving two chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and mozzarella cheese, didn’t quite hit the mark. The chicken tasted defrosted, while the stuffing just didn’t seem to harmonize with the chicken. We would’ve recommended ricotta cheese instead. The side of basmati rice was unspectacular.

Frankly, our visit was very disappointing. We’ve tried Steak Out’s other branches and this one seems to have fallen particularly shorter than its counterparts. Our advise is focus on the consistency, and do something about the sides, they’re not inventive so the least they can be is up to par with everyone else.