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

Since opening at Mall of Egypt, VOX Cinema became one of Cairo’s favourite movie theatres; no one can complain about its beautiful theatres and mouth-watering snack bar. However, us being as obsessed with food as we are, it was the VOX Gold Lounge that immediately grabbed our attention, especially when we found out that the menu is inspired by Michelin star chef, Gary Rhodes.

The spacious lounge has wide and very comfortable beige couches, which are perfect if you’re going to grab lunch before the movie, and black high tables and chairs for a quick drink or a snack while waiting for your movie to start. The waiters were well dressed, the ambiance was cosy and the interior was simple and elegant, suitable for a movie theatre lounge. We appreciate good service, but the staff overdid it a bit, insisting that they carry our popcorn for us… 

But beyond popcorn and Maltesers, moviegoers can enjoy a proper meal, which we started with the Kamikaze Shrimp (107LE) appetiser. Supposedly, this dish is similar to shrimp dynamite, but what we received were over-cooked shrimp coated in spicy mayo – so overcooked that they were rubbery and had slightly a burnt aftertaste. 

The same goes for the mains. We opted for the Crab and Avocado Toasted Sandwich (102LE) and the New York Deli Style Beef Sliders (141LE). When we read crab and avocado mixed with tehina and sweet chilli sauce in pita bread, we didn’t expect a fishy and mushy mixture that tastes like a homemade tuna sandwich and served in ‘Baladi’ bread. We felt almost betrayed by the bland flavours and the misleading description; the presentation was the saddest thing we’ve seen in a while and the most exciting part in the dish, which is tehina sweet chilli sauce, didn’t even make it to the sandwich.

Moving to the New York deli style beef sliders, they were served with onion-heavy coleslaw, French fries – the best part of the whole meal – and ‘Smoky BBQ dip’ which was basically ketchup. As for the sliders themselves, the patty was a bit too thick but surprisingly juicy, while the bread and the toppings were unremarkable.

Hoping to end on a better note, we tried the Upside Down Passion Fruit and Mango Cheesecake (62LE) for dessert. We loved the use of the crumbled gingerbread cookie as the cheesecake crust, but the cheesecake cream was too bland and the passion fruit and mango syrup at the bottom tasted like overly sweet cantaloupe syrup.

You don’t go to the cinema for the food, but in paying 412LE, one would expect better – and we’re not sure how pleased Gar Rhodes would be if he knew that he is mentioned by name as the inspiration on the menu. Moral of the story? Stick to popcorn and nachos.