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

Fine dining is quite pleasurable when executed right; who would hate dressing up, getting pampered while enjoying an impressively delicious meal? Lexie’s is one of those restaurants that are on a mission to offer us this amazing experience – plus great cocktails. Having heard that a Dubai-based chef had revamped its menu, we just couldn’t wait to go try it out. We wanted to go on a Thursday afternoon, so we thought it was best to reserve beforehand; better safe than sorry.

The minute you leave the parking and go up to the restaurant, you immediately feel the luxurious atmosphere; high ceilings, coat hangers at the entrance, and a smiley host, who is happy to assist you. We got to our table for two and were graciously handed both the food and the drinks menus. We took a minute or two to take in the gorgeous setting; the setting really nailed the modern Italian vibe the venue aims for. The overall colour scheme is of black and gold, complemented by the exquisitely artistic lighting. As we were choosing our drinks, perfectly hot and fluffy complementary focaccia bread came to our table, ‘the pampering has just begun’, we thought to ourselves.

For our first round of drinks, we got the Sardinia Cooler (310LE) – gin, cherry brandy, pineapple, lemon, and house ginger beer. It was a well-executed cocktail; perfectly tangy and boozy yet sweet. The second recommended cocktail was the Sachi Thyme Gimlet (240LE) – thyme vodka, organic agave, fresh lime, grapefruit bitters and olive oil. The combination was surprisingly delightful; the thyme flavour really hit the spot, and the olive oil was just sensational; their quite distinctive flavours elevated the drink to another level.

We then decided to order one appetiser to share before getting more cocktails. We opted for the Duo Octopus (180LE) – carpaccio and tempura with lemon segments, orange vinaigrette, and almond flakes. Once again, a successful mélange of flavours; the octopus was fresh, the tempura was hot and crispy, the orange dressing was balanced, while the almond flakes just brought everything together.

We devoured the starter and began to look at the drinks menu again. We decided to try the Kazoku Bloody Mary (325LE) – vodka, wasabi, soy sauce, tomato, and Japanese spices. It was a tasty drink; the tomato tasted fresh and the wasabi was spot-on, however, we didn’t pick up on either the soy sauce, or the Japanese spices. At the same time, we got the Milano Manhattan (475LE) – parmigiano bourbon, sundried-tomato vermouth, and bitters. It was an intriguing mix for sure; we could really taste the parmigiana, while the vermouth just balanced it out – you would never imagine that those flavours would work together in a cocktail, but it turns out that the actually do.

We couldn’t leave without trying their food; it was impossible. We browsed through the food menu and decided on the Shrimp Risotto (275LE) – sautéed shrimp with chili oil. Let’s just say if you are in the mood for an authentic Italian risotto, don’t think twice, head to Lexie’s straight away; perfectly cooked creamy risotto rice with amazingly prepared fresh shrimp, and the hint of chili oil was just on-point.

We also ordered the Beef Tagliata (390LE) – seared South-African beef tenderloin, rocca and parmesan shavings, with balsamic truffle dressing. Just when we thought we couldn’t be more delighted about this experience, this phenomenal dish came over; the cook on the beef was well-done, and it was mesmerizingly tender, the balsamic was sweet, while the truffle had an amazing earthy flavour.

Anything short of extraordinary would be an understatement; the experience was delightful on all levels. The setting was perfect, the staff was attentive, the food was sensational, and the drinks were unique – this is what a successful fine dining restaurant should be, no doubt.