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

Sushi,
we have always been told, is an acquired taste; it isn’t for everyone. Cairenes
lap it up like it’s air, though. There
is an abundance of venues catering for this most holy of obsessions, and Bob
Sushi makes a darn good effort in distinguishing itself.

The
Dokki branch of Bob Sushi is no bigger than a medium-sized bathroom, and hosts
just two tables. As inconvenient as it may seem, the spot is quiet, comfortable
and hidden behind a shroud of trees. The staff of four is welcoming, the
lighting is sleepy, and you’ll be completely oblivious to the usually busy
Galaa Square, which El Sad El Aly Street breaks off from.

The
menu opens with a range of soups, including the miso soup
(12LE), which tastes authentic, and the hot and sour soup with chicken (16LE), which was as hot and sour as it was
delicious. There are salads also available, with the tataki salmon or tuna
coming recommended by staff as a light starter with soy sauce, pickled ginger,
lemon and cucumber. For an appetiser with a little more substance, spring rolls
(20LE to 25LE), fried squid (25LE), chicken skewers (20LE) and tempura shrimps
(45LE) are also offered; though you may want to leave more space in your
stomach for the headlining sushi.

With
the sushi itself, you can either order specific rolls, or just leave it in the
hands of the staff with a combination platter. Sushi connoisseurs should expect
to pay 7LE to 12LE per piece on the nigri menu, while six-piece sashimi and maki
roll orders range between 12LE to 35LE. The ‘Bob Rolls’ section of the menu
covers more Western-style sushi, including the Philadelphia roll, the spider
roll (salmon, tempura shrimp, and avocado), and the awesome-sounding konafa tempura
roll.

The
general quality is of the sushi is decent. The rice is light, and the
vegetables taste fresh, but some of the fish does not. Of course, no sushi is complete without the
condiments, and plenty of soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger is available at
demand.

There
is also a separate mains section in the menu that offers, among other things, tempura shrimps (55LE), teriyaki beef or chicken (40LE) and a beef, chicken,
salmon, or shrimp teppenyaki  (50LE to
59LE). A range of rice and noodles are available to accompany those dishes at
7LE to 35LE. You’ll need to go elsewhere for dessert, and the staff is happy to
pop to the shop next door and buy you a soft drink worth 2.50LE and charge you
6LE for it.

There
are few places to hide in Cairo, and the sleepy seclusion of Bob Sushi is a
rare find. Had it not been for Mohamed, Mohamed, Mohamed and Ahmed serving, and
MBC4 on the TV, this reviewer might have got lost in the hypnotic trance of
mixing the wasabi into the soy sauce, and would have forgotten that Cairo surrounds this
small pocket of sushi refuge.