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

Along the ever-changing Road 9, restaurants and cafes come and go so fast it’s difficult to keep up – and it’s even harder to predict which will flourish. With a multitude of age ranges coming through, some venues struggle to serve everyone, while others excel at having a single target market.

Walking through a small hallway next to Wok and Walk reveals the aptly named Backyard; a Brooklyn-esque open area with graffiti painted walls, artificial grass and a very young crowd. The music is pretty loud and not quite fit for a quiet relaxing meal.

We found ourselves seats on the wooden tables and chairs resembling garden furniture and, when a waiter saw us, he proceeded to place menus on our table. 

The menu is built on a selection of appetisers, burgers and fries options and we tried the Bacon (51.50LE) and Guacamole (47LE) burgers with Curly Fries (18LE) and Chilli Fries Con Carne (23LE) as well as their signature Backyard Burger (59LE). Additionally, we opted for a Camembert Bites (20LE) appetiser. The Backyard also offers breakfast options and there’s a pastries section in a separate building across from the kitchen which has an interesting selection of cakes, macaroons and other sweet delicacies.

The Camembert Bites were served first with a perfectly crunchy exterior and a delicious garlic aioli dip. Shortly afterwards came the fries and burgers. Although we weren’t asked how we would like the burgers cooked, the Bacon – which features a tasty 160g patty topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and very tasty beef bacon – was served at a very comfortable medium.

The Guacamole, on the other hand, was slightly undercooked, leaving the patty slightly more pink than desirable. The tasty guacamole and nacho chip toppings made for interesting textures and the overall taste was definitely pleasant.

The Backyard Burger, a monstrosity of beef, bacon, mushrooms on a donut – that's right a donut – was particularly tasty but extremely messy because the donut isn't as big as a bun. The savoury flavors combined with the sweet donut might seem much to some – but the overall result was very filling.

The Chili Fries, while not so generous in serving, were topped with a lot of cheese and a tasty, albeit not spicy, chilli, though it certainly beats most of the other chilli fries we’ve tried around Cairo. The Curly Fries, while a classic, just weren’t as interesting after trying the chilli fries.

All in all the food is delicious, but the loud music and younger crowd might make it favourable for some, but not for others. Though the Backyard presents little novelty in terms of concept, the overall sum of the parts ensure that, with Maadi’s steady stream of youngsters with disposable income, it’ll will be around for some time.