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

Dokki Square is nothing short of a circus.
With traffic coming from every direction, the noisy bridge above and the
countless street vendors and pavement-encroaching shops, it isn’t the best
location for a café. The owners of newly opened Hassona think otherwise,
though. The bright orange-coloured sign stands out as a bit of an eyesore next
to its demure neighbours; but it portrays its colourful qualities to a tee.

Hassona’s menu is almost overwhelming. There
are so many types and combinations of juices for example, that you’ll easily be
inspired by the strange names and blends to create your own, which the staff is
happy to do as you relax on their comfortable wicker chairs.

We tried a basic cappuccino (5.50LE) and
found it to be a little watered down; and it paled in comparison with the cappuccinos at larger coffee house chains. 
 

We laboured in deciding which of the
amusingly named cocktails to sample before settling for El Fankoush; a mixture
of pineapple and kiwi (8LE). The combination was interesting enough, and we
thought it better than the Super El Fankoush (9LE), which added apple to the
equation.  The drink was cold and fresh,
but the kiwi flavour was overpowered by the sweet pineapple.

A display case by the entrance is
strategically placed to showcase a selection of their cakes and tarts. It
worked on this reviewer, and we ordered a slice of the apple tart (9LE).
Although the base was a little soggy, it was full of taste and wasn’t as sweet
as Egyptian desserts tend to be. Unfortunately, the apple also felt soggy and
soft, and was actually very sweet, which upset the balance. Other desserts on
offer include chocolate mousse (9LE), tiramisu (13LE), and fruit salad, whose ingredients you can pick.

In the evenings, Hassona’s kitchen offers a
large range of fiteers and pizzas in small, medium and large sizes. The pizzas
range between 16LE to 40LE depending on size and ingredients, apart from the meat
feast that is the large-sized pizza Hassona, which goes for 47LE. The fiteers (12LE
to 31LE) come in both savoury and sweet options, and fillings include cheeses,
meats, tuna, chocolate and fruit.

Since this venue’s opening, the clientele are
– according to this reviewer’s observations – mostly smartly dressed, affluent
seniors from around the area. It lends a certain class and calm about the
place. During the evening, the café’s subtle and clean interior is pleasant,
and the fact that a lot of the cakes and tarts are in view and the place is
decorated with the very fruits they use gives Hassona a crisp and comfortable
atmosphere.