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

Every group of friends looks for a place to call their own; their private own hangout they can feel comfortable, eat good food and maybe even enjoy some entertainment. While there are several locations which offer one option or the other, there was always the issue finding the perfect balance to provide the full package.

Boasting two indoor areas, in addition to a large outdoor area, Sovrano doesn’t lack in the space department. With a simple, cosy design, it boasts a simple seating area with three screens in case of matches and games like backgammon for their guests’ pleasure. Sovrano also has a trick up its sleeve with its location, sitting on a side street right after Ismailia Square in Heliopolis, making it a more intimately located venue. Sovrano boasts a chilled-out with a relaxed atmosphere, where guests vary from expats and people working on their laptops, to people having a good time playing cards and chatting.

Looking into Sovrano’s extensive menu, it offered an array of Oriental and international plates – everything from Oriental sausage, to Cordon Bleu. After making our order, our appetiser, the Mix Sovrano platter (65LE,) came after a swift 15 minutes. The platter had three mozzarella sticks, four spring-rolls, five chicken fingers, some onion rings and a lot of nachos. The plate also came with a couple of sauces; BBQ sauce and honey mustard.

Starting with the mozzarella sticks, they were more like cigars in size with a crunchy well-seasoned exterior encasing a gooey cheesy interior that was made all the better when dipped into BBQ sauce. Next were the spring-rolls, which also had a crispy shell, with well-cooked vegetables inside which would have been great if it was served withs weet chilli sauce.

The onion rings, meanwhile, it didn’t offer anything special flavour-wise while still being of decent quality. The Chicken fingers were a bit oily, but not enough to ruin the tender interior, crispy exterior and nice seasoning. Finally, the nachos were season-less made specifically for dipping and with the great taste of the honey mustard and BBQ sauce it did its job well, despite also not offering anything particularly special.

We then moved to the Pizza Chicken Barbecue (47LE) which was medium-sized and topped with bell peppers, olives, grilled chicken slices and smothered with barbecue sauce. Eating it is a messy business so we recommend using the knife and fork provided, instead of instinctively diving in hands-first.The whole thing is bursting with the ingredients complimenting each other perfectly, while, thankfully, the barbecue sauce didn’t overpower the rest.

Swimming in cheese, the Four cheese Pasta (39LE) was our favourite, though. With a mix of four smooth, gooey cheeses, mixed in with pasta of your choosing, each bite exploded with cheesy aromas, the most distinct of which was the blue cheese, giving a slight tangy taste to the whole plate.

The Hawawshi (33LE), meanwhile, came as eight mini sandwiches of hawawshi that although slightly oily, had a delightful crunch, with the well-seasoned beef bursting with flavour. The hawawshi also came with a side of French fries which were topped with paprika, salt and pepper for an extra touch of flavour.

Sovrano also offersshisha, of which we tried out the Grape Shisha Sovrano (41 LE) which had a great sweet grape taste, with a smooth feel on the inhale, making the place a well-rounded venue with all the bells and whistles.

In the end, good food, good service, and a cosy atmosphere make Sovrano a great hangout spot, as it achieves a balance – that’ already difficult to strike as it is – better than most similar places.