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

From Italian to Cantonese, French to Ethiopian, there's no shortage in Cairo’s wide selection of flavours and when we heard of A’ Table, a new Dutch restaurant in Sheikh Zayed’s Capital Business Park, we were excited to discover what the cuisine of the Netherlands is all about.

A’ Table has an unconventional self-service set-up, offering fresh, organic foods with a new menu every week introducing a new experience every time you visit. 

As soon as you step in, you will appreciate the warm and inviting atmosphere and probably be surprised by the pizza and pasta station –fundamentally associated with Italian cuisine— though that didn’t stop us from diving straight in.

We went for the Chicken Sate plate (75LE) and the Salmon steak (85 LE) with rice and mashed potatoes as side dishes and, after we ordered, we were asked to have a seat and the order will be delivered to our table.

Comprised of three skewers of grilled chicken pieces – three pieces on each skewer— the dish was well-grilled, with a golden glaze and black smoky grill marks which made it taste great. The rice was steamed and well-seasoned with a variety of herbs giving it an aromatic kick. The mashed potatoes, meanwhile, were covered with cheese and put into the oven, giving it a crunchy cheese layer on top, though it was slightly lumpy. 

The Salmon came in the form of a medium-sized steak, grilled to a golden brown, with a classic crunch on the outside and soft pink tenderness on the inside and it tasted great.

Our serving of white mushroom and thousand island sauces came a bit late; however they were a welcome sight as the food was a bit too dry.

After our main dishes, we were ready for dessert and among a selection of pastries, we decided to go for a classic Dutch cinnamon apple pie (25LE) and a red velvet cream scoop (28 LE) – essentially red velvet cake.

Unfortunately, the pie was dry and not spongy; however, the fresh pieces of apple complimented the cinnamon beautifully with every bite. As for the scoop, the cream was too bland and without sugar, while the cake was too sugary, so we suggest mixing them together for the best experience.

In closing, eating at A’ Table was a satisfying experience, though the food was far from exceptional and the concept of the restaurant could alienate new comers due to the relatively high prices.