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

On a weirdly empty Friday night, when typical Cairenes are usually out and about as they hunt for an activity to occupy themselves, we had our minds made up on a fast-food spot that’s been around for a while, although a bit under the radar. Serving tacos, poke, and sushi burritos, Takosan integrated sushi into the world of fast food with high-end quality! 

Located at The Drive, New Cairo, Takosan upgraded from its usual truck to a mini shack with a satisfying menu that we spent quite a while picking from. The menu is straightforward, split into four sections; sushi burritos, tacos, poke bowls, and build-your-own bowl or burrito. We dived right in and ordered a couple of sushi burritos, namely the Sake Burrito (170 LE) and Tempura Salmon Burrito (175 LE), the perfect balance between fresh and cooked sushi. The Sake Burrito is made up of fresh salmon, spring mix, avocado, spring onions, and corn, and it was easily the prized dish of the entire meal. The salmon was so fresh, with the vegetable mix giving the entire burrito a great crunch and the avocado being the cherry on top as it added a creamy texture.

For those who like cooked sushi, the Tempura Salmon Burrito is the perfect pick! It includes tempura-fried salmon, red cabbage, cream cheese, corn, and carrot. This burrito was slightly richer than the Sake one, mainly from the fried salmon and the cream cheese; however, it was delicious and well balanced in terms of the flavour and texture. 

We also ordered the Grilled Shrimp Tacos (135 LE), which were cooked just right, maintaining their form and crunch factor. The tacos came with pico de gallo, avocado cilantro crema, and spicy mayo, giving a great balance in textures and flavours. They also weren’t too hot for those who can’t tolerate a kick in flavour.

Afterwards, we got the Korean Chicken Poke Bowl (120 LE), but we weren’t great fans of this dish. While the Korean chicken was the star of the bowl, perfectly fried with a sweet and spicy sauce, the rest of the bowl was bland. The white rice base had no flavour, and the pickled ginger overpowered the entire bowl so much so that we couldn’t taste anything else. 

To cleanse our palate in between our meals, we got the Sweet Potato Fries (50 LE). They were out of this world! The fries had a crunchy exterior and a mushy interior and were also well-spiced and just the right amount of sweet and savoury. Overall, our meal was enjoyable. We were impressed with most of the restaurant’s menu and the dishes we ordered, and the staff was also helpful and recommended a few things off the menu! Takosan is a must-try if you haven’t tried it already.