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

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Maadi’s Road 18 is home to some of the neighbourhood’s most amazing places to eat out, and Bistro Paris has just become another favourite. Nestled on the first floor of Building 13’s dining complex, the restaurant – famous for its divine steak – greets you with warmth from the moment you step inside. Bistro Paris brings Paris to you, so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling through TikTok wishing you were there.

The place is adorned with the sweetest Parisian décor, but the best spot in the entire place has to be the beautiful outdoor area, with traditional burgundy parasols on the terrace. There was also a big screen with beIN Sports for football enthusiasts! As the lovely staff helped us to our seats by the edge of the balcony, we thought of no more calming and picturesque spot for lunch and dove straight into the menu. Let us start by saying this: you’ll be left spoiled for choice. We decided on their Green Salad (140 LE) and Fondue Montmartre (210 LE) for appetisers, along with some Turkish coffee (50 LE).

The salad, consisting of lettuce, grated parmesan and a creamy dressing, was surprisingly good – the dressing was the perfect amount, the flavour was delicious, and it was a great compliment to the fondue. The fondue, though, was incredible. A roll of camembert baked with honey with a side of baked potato; you can also ask for a shot of white wine to drizzle on top, which we highly recommend. The potato was only very lightly seasoned so that the flavour of the gooey cheese would shine. It was simply delicious. Their Turkish coffee was also excellent and a great way to wash down the appetisers and prepare us for the feast coming our way.

Next, we opted for the Steak de Paris (620 LE) and the Penne Provençal (225 LE) for our main dishes. The pasta was a great vegetarian option, with its delicious and creamy pesto sauce. The added ratatouille and pine nuts made for the perfect balance in texture, making the dish go from great to excellent. The steak, however, was heaven in a bite. Served with some butter with chives on top, the waiter melts the butter with a blowtorch once he sets it on the table, making the experience a true spectacle. We asked for it to be cooked medium and got a perfect buttery steak. When we say buttery, we mean in every sense of the word: taste-wise, the flavour of salted butter shone through in every bite, and even the texture can only be described as buttery. It was incredibly soft and divine.

Lastly, we decided on some chocolate mousse for dessert (180 LE). Honestly, it was rather underwhelming – it felt much more like pudding and not like mousse. That being said, the flavour was quite good, and if you’re a fan of chocolate, then you’ll still get to enjoy it. All in all, the experience at Bistro Paris was wonderful. Since the place is not crowded, the ambience is lovely, which, paired with the incredible food and football match, has left us waiting for our next visit!