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

It is not often that we find a fish restaurant nearby Cairo’s city limit; usually they’re found in the inner-city popular areas. Konoz Al-Bahr definitely boasts a unique space on Cairo-Alex Desert Road at Chill-Out Mall; situated on the second floor, offering a unique view from its outdoor area.

We gave the restaurant a visit during daytime; the weather was breezy, the sun was out, and the outdoor atmosphere was perfect for a light seafood lunch. It is well-known that we, as Egyptians, tend to over-order -and over-eat- when going to fish restaurants, hence, we decided to break the habit, and enjoy our food based on quality not quantity- we wanted to give each dish the attention it deserved.

First, we started by choosing our salads; pickled tomatoes (20LE) and Raheb salad (20LE). The pickled tomatoes were fresh, boasting an on-point garlicky flavour. The Raheb salad; mashed eggplants with onions and bell peppers, it was equally fresh with a citrus flavour that gave it a nice kick.

Next stop, choosing the seafood; we didn’t think twice about ordering half a kilo of Butterfly Shrimp (279LE); medium-sized shrimps in buttery pink sauce with dill. The butterfly shrimps’ taste differs from one place to another, at Konoz Al-Bahr, the dish was perfectly balanced; from the beautifully-cooked shrimp, and the butter sauce that had the right balance between butter and salt, to the dill that gave it the herby taste it needed.

We then decided to get half a kilo of Denis Fish (Gilt Head Sea Bream) (137LE) – two whole fish cooked with oil and lemon. The fish pieces were fresh, of a perfect size, leaving room for the herb rub to shine. The meat of the fish was smooth and tasty, blending well with the flavour of the tomato-based fish rice (20LE).

Satisfied that we dodged the over-eating dilemma, we finished our meal extremely happy. Then we found that the staff was nice enough to offer each of us one Mahlabeya bowl for dessert; sweet milk and corn starch cooked together until thickened. It was certainly a very lovely gesture; the dessert was delicious and light, but if only it had a dash of nuts or raisins.

Our visit was certainly a pleasant one; the food was admirably fresh and the staff members were joyfully helpful and caring. Offering such a distinctive, enjoyable seafood experience, Konoz Al-Bahr is quite the catch.