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

The soft-opened Melt Bistro &Café already seems to have things up and running. Contrary to its heat-inspiring name, the place’s blue-green setting has a cool vibe to it, especially that it overlooks Ski Egypt –reminiscent, in a way, to Swiss ski slope cafés, where cheese-laden delights are usually served to fight the cold.                                                                                        

While it does not seem to follow any particular cuisine, the menu is mostly American, including almost everything that goes well with cheese, varying from Brioche Bun Burger to Salmon Toastie. In the end, we settled on Oregano Potato Fries (35LE); Cheese Steak Sandwich (145LE); Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese (120LE); Cheesecake (45LE), with a separately ordered sauce (20LE), and a Double B Shake to wash it all down (70LE).

The Oregano potato fries didn’t meet our expectations. They were nothing more than regular fries dashed with dried oregano, which failed to add any flavour. They were insignificantly different when compared to the fries that were served as a side with the sandwich.

Next up, the steak sandwich, which comes in a french baguette and perfectly caramelised onions, served with the cheese on the side which is then poured over the sandwich. The meat itself tasted fresh, yet its taste was overpowered by that of the caramelised onions. The baguette was a little stiff and hard to bite.

The Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese comes in a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and sliced grilled chicken. The chicken on the top was a bit dry in comparison to that in the middle, and the buffalo flavour and feel were definitely missing from the mixture.

However, the cheese for both items was something else; boasting an excellent smooth texture with small rough lumps, and a rich, lightly-aged flavour. The use of natural, unprocessed cheese really helped shape these two dishes, saving their minor flaws.

A blend of berries, vanilla ice cream, and bananas, the milkshake tasted a lot like the latter ingredient, but it was amazingly presented, topped with whipped cream, wafer pieces, and M&Ms.

Our recommended dessert was Cheese Cake with our choice of raspberry sauce. Mixed with orange, the cream cheese base had a zesty twist to it, yet its dense texture was a little odd. The biscuit on the bottom didn’t add anything to the taste, as it seems to have lost some of its own flavour in the baking process.

Living up to what it promises, Melt Bistro & Café’s scrumptious cheese was the star of the show. For a place that’s in the soft-opening phase, it’s off to a good start. We were also quite fond of their service and food presentations on their custom made plates.