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

Even though Cairo has a tremendous number of restaurants, only a few ever stand out, be it with unusual dishes or creative overall concepts. Cairo 360’s previous experience with The Food Republic wasn’t the best – the biggest problem at the Cairo Festival City restaurant was that the execution of the food was inconsistent.

Hoping for better luck this time round, we started our meal with the TFR Beef Salad (65LE), which come as a bowl of lettuce and arugula drenched in a tasty tangy garlic-infused vinaigrette topped with perfectly seasoned beef tenderloin strips sprinkled with sesame seeds, cherry tomatoes and an sweet corn and red beans. Unfortunately, there was very little of the latter two items. The salad could’ve been great, but there was a huge amount of greens compared to the scant amount of toppings.

Meanwhile, we also tried the TFR Buffalo Wings (44LE), which had had a scrumptious crust that was smothered in a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce and served with a blue cheese dip. It could’ve been a flawless appetiser but sadly, beneath the crisp exterior, the chicken didn’t have that fresh softness to it as we bit through it.

Undeterred by the chicken issues, we then opted for the Chicken Pie (76LE). The huge portion of crispy and flaky puff pastry was filled with chicken, fresh mushrooms, cheese and what was supposed to be cinnamon-infused cream sauce, topped with more sauce, spinach, and nuts. On paper, this dish made us drool, but the result was a bland filling that needed a lot more seasoning and spices.

We also tried TFR’s Tiger Philly Steak Sandwich (72LE). Served in a remarkable Vienna Bread, the sandwich was filled with mixture of tender and flavourful beef rib-eye strips, sautéed onions and coloured bell peppers, then tossed in BBQ sauce and topped with melted cheddar cheese. The sandwich was the highlight of our visit and its outstanding flavours showed what the TFR kitchen can do when it’s at its best.

The same can be said for our dessert of TFR’s Apple Crumble (54LE), too. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the apple filling was a perfect consistency – not too mushy as is so often the case – and had luscious tart and sweet flavours. The buttery crumble had a crispy yet light texture, while the drizzle of caramel complimented it all without overpowering the rest of the flavours. The presentation also deserves some praise – which is an unusual thing for what is usually a messy dessert.

Our experience at The Food Republic had its ups and downs. Despite the flawless Philly steak sandwich and the dessert, the rest of the food had a lot of small flaws that ruined otherwise very promising dishes.