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

We have witnessed the opening of various Lebanese restaurants and chains over the past year, but we are not complaining. You cannot get enough of the allure of great Lebanese flavours and fantastic service. Al Beiruti is a classy Lebanese food experience that just made its way to Egypt this year with two locations: Arkan Plaza in Sheikh Zayed and Garden 8 in New Cairo. It created quite the buzz, and we just had to check their menu.

We headed to their Arkan Plaza branch for late lunch; the place had a lovely calm outdoors and a refined-looking indoor area. The colonial-style floor tiles, modern lighting fixtures, leather seats, and greenery really complemented the overall vibe. The interior had an interesting mix of modernity and classic styles that seemed to create a harmonious and calm relaxing setting. We decided to take a seat inside and began to order our meal. We started skimming the menu and decided to get one Muhamarra (LE 90), one Labneh Plate (LE 82), and one Fattoush (LE 84) as starters. Muhammara is a spicy dip made of walnuts, red bell peppers, pomegranate molasses, and breadcrumbs – it’s creamy, delicious, and filling. All three starters were tasty and fresh, perhaps just a bit more expensive than usual but definitely winner plates. 

As we were on the look for our mains, we decided to get only one to share to leave room for dessert. We got the Mix Grill (LE 345) – 250gm of Kefte, Chicken and Meat Skewers with a side of fries. Portion-wise, the plate is made for one person; however, the flavours and the cooking on both the chicken and meat were impeccable, but the kefte could have been juicier for sure. As we were finishing our meal, we opted to get Ghazal Al Beiruti (LE 150) for dessert also to share. The mistika ice cream was flavourful and satisfyingly sweet however the ratio between cotton candy and ice cream was a bit off; the cotton candy was too much compared to the ice cream. 

We enjoyed our meal, the atmosphere and the service. However, the prices are a bit high when compared to other places. Portions could have been increased considering the costs, but the taste and technique show. Al Beiruti has a wide selection of mains and Lebanese favourites that are worth a try.