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

Bringing the absolute best of Italian delicacies, French pastries and baked goods to the table, Mista is a fabulous choice if you’re in the mood for good food. The versatile all-day-dining menu doesn’t stop there; a celebration of classic dishes like homemade pasta and pizza amongst a selection of steaks, salads, and soups are also on offer. This Italian restaurant is located on the ground floor of Mall of Arabia, just opposite Ikea. The venues overlooking The Park in Mall of Arabia extension are ideal for a quick bite, leisurely meal, or a Friday brunch with family and friends. 

Mista boasts a very laid-back ambience surrounded by greenery and exquisite unique decor, whether indoors or outdoors. We headed there for early dinner on the weekend to try some of their classic options. We ordered our beverages and starter first; we got one Americano (36 LE) and one Mista Mista Mojito (53 LE) – pineapple, rosemary, ginger, and sprite. Both were relatively quick to arrive, and the mojito was a splendid mix of refreshing and herbaceous.

As a starter, we went with the Arancini (68 LE) – deep fried saffron risotto ball stuffed with bolognese sauce, green peas, and mozzarella, served with cold spicy arrabbiata sauce. The starter was an enjoyable bite; however, we found ourselves craving more flavour as the saffron didn’t really come through, and the bolognese sauce definitely needed more spices. 

After a while, our mains arrived. We had ordered the Alfredo Pasta (144 LE) – creamy sauce with Parmesan cheese, roasted mushroom, chicken, and parsley. This creamy, dreamy pan sauce made from butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese complimented the homemade pasta beautifully. We also got the Charcoal Striploin (216 LE) – prime cut South African striploin, served with roasted vegetables, crispy French fries and pepper sauce. This cut may be less tender than others, but it is rather succulent and flavoursome – an excellent choice for real meat-lovers. Also, the vegetables were roasted to perfection, and the pepper sauce brought the flavours of the whole dish together. 

We wanted to end this lovely meal on a sweet note, so we ordered one Classic Mille Feuille (42 LE) – to share. This flavourful classic dessert was composed of three light layers of air puff pastry filled with creamy vanilla cream. But if we had one comment, it would be that the cream was a bit more gelatinous than preferred; it lacked that creamy, velvety texture we all know and love. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop us from having a good time at Mista – the staff were friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was pleasant.