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

Even though
restaurants in Cairo are in abundance, some often lack in quality, while others have bad service or zero atmosphere. La Maison Blanche in
the First Mall on the other hand takes you to a dazzling world where everything
is in harmony, from the meticulous décor to the fine quality of
the food.

La Maison Blanche is
set in the perfect surrounding of Cairo’s ultimate luxury haven. Located on the
riverside of the building, the restaurant has a calming view of the Nile.  The interior is bright white with bubble-like
glass lamps and a few colourful photos of vegetables on the walls. There are
low seating areas and high tables to choose from. The first part of the
restaurant is laid out like a like a lounge and has a fireplace along the
lengths of the wall; it’s the perfect spot to enjoy one of their many available
cigars. The second part has a white bar for indulging in cocktails and the
third part allows for dinner.

The menu has
several cuisines. There is a sushi menu, a Middle Eastern menu and a French
menu. Though La Maison Blanche might have a reputation for being one of the more
expensive restaurants in the city, it can be quite affordable depending on which menu you order from.
Starters range between 35LE and 200LE so it’s up to you how far you want to push the boat out. There is also a set French four-course menu for 220LE.

To start we chose
the terrine de foie gras au natural (200LE) and the ravioli aux gambas (65LE).
The duck had a light mango jelly topping and came with
toast and salad on the side, but eating the foie gras as pure as
possible is the best way appreciate its flavour. The ravioli was fresh with a rich
shrimp filling; the best part however, was the zesty shellfish velouté which accented the dish.

The filet de loup
de mer (125LE) was perfectly baked but although the menu promised it was served
with mascarpone cheese and we had trouble detecting it. The side of risotto with
the sharp tapenade complemented the mild tasting fish well. The filet de veau rôti (135LE) was grilled well and came with puréed
sweet potatoes as well as green beans and shallots. The meat was tender and
tasty and we found the sweet potato to be an
original side that we hadn’t seen before in Cairo.

For dessert we had
the crumble rhubarb et framboise (40LE). The rhubarb was topped with a delicious
raspberry mousse and is best eaten along with the crumble for it not to be too
sour. The tarte au citron (40LE) is also a refreshing dessert but once again
should be eaten with the crust and ice cream to avoid being overly sour.

The staff are polite
and are quick to take your orders and refresh your drink, while there is live
entertainment on most nights. La Maison Blanche is the perfect place to take
someone you would like to impress. The best part about the restaurant though is
that their menu has options found nowhere else in Cairo.