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

Mena House’s Indian restaurant, The Moghul Room, has, for as long as we can remember, been widely considered one of the best Indian restaurants in Egypt. The hotel itself still retains a certain sense of magic despite a rocky time, but our latest visit to The Moghul Room had its ups and downs.

As a venue, not much has changed over the years; but there was no music playing in the background, the service wasn’t as swift and prompt as it once was and the general experience just lacked the fun, colourful spirit of Indian cuisine.

When it comes to Indian food, we like to enjoy everything at once. We opted for the Baingan Bharta (83LE), the Chicken Murgh Tikka Makhani (179LE) and the Lamb Shahi Korma (205LE), alongside Garlic Naan bread (32LE) and Pulao Rice (135LE serving for two).

The vegetarian-friendly Baingan Bharta consists of mashed charcoal-grilled eggplant mixed with sautéed onions and herbs. Boasting garlicky and sweet flavours, there’s plenty of depth and we just loved the refreshing coriander kick that brought everything together.

Meanwhile, the murgh tikka makhani had a generous amount of very moist, boneless chicken pieces swimming in a bowl of creamy tomato sauce that was bursting with flavours and spices, while its slightly chunky consistency was great for dipping.

What really stole the show, however, was the Shahi Korma. The bowl was filled with tender, fatty pieces of perfectly cooked lamb mixed with a rich, sweet and creamy sauce bursting with coconut flavour, and sprinkled with sliced almonds for a great crunch. Even though the dish might be a little too sweet for some, we loved its boldness and in-your-face flavours.

Just as important to a grand Indian feast, the naan bread had crispy edges and a pleasant chewy texture to it, and we’re happy that it actually had a discernible garlic flavour, unlike what you’ll find at so many other Indian eateries. On the other hand, the rice was pretty bland, lacked any unique flavours and the serving for two was probably closer to a serving for one.

We finished our meal with a Gajar Ka Halwa (71LE) for dessert and it was our least favourite dish of the day. The dessert is simply grated carrots stewed with reduced milk and cardamom, and sprinkled with pistachios; the result was very hot, grainy and mushy that was missing some sweetness to it.

Dessert aside, there was little to complain about in terms of food – in fact, the food was great, overall. But as a restaurant, The Moghul Room seems to be lacking the panache that a hotel like Mena House demands; the ambiance was really lacking and although that might not be a deal-breaker for some, for a restaurant of The Moghul Room’s standing, it makes a world of difference.