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

The general appraoch adopted by restaurants in Cairo is ‘bigger is better’. However, it’s important to remember that good things come in small packages. Modest eatery, Six Bites in Mohandiseen, specialise in producing fresh finger-foods.

This curiously small, glass fronted venue is easy to miss. Despite giving the impression of being a catering company, the two fridges at the back of the shop contain a selection of both savoury and sweet pieces, ready to take away. In the instances of pre-ordering – which should be done a few days in advance – the menu boasts a wide variety of mini sandwiches and sweet desserts to choose from, whilst in person, we were able to point out which ones appeared most appetising. Prices are either per kg (100LE-200LE), per piece (2.5LE-5LE) or per ready-mixed platter (140LE-180LE).

Perfectly sized and attractively presented for party food platters, we ordered a variety of mini buns; from the straightforward chicken and cheese types, to the more adventurous seafood combinations. Made fresh daily, each bun-base was deliciously soft and fluffy, supporting the generous, flavourful fillings.

Our favourite had to be the creamy mozzarella and tangy dried tomato (2.5LE) combination, which tasted remarkably like a tiny pizza. Another delicious bite was the more unusual labna and thyme (2.5LE), which was both smooth and delectable. The smoked salmon was also thoroughly enjoyable, complete with a creamy filling, crunchy salad pieces and a small slice of lemon. Unfortunately, the blue cheese and walnut combination – although made with good quality cheese – was slightly too potent for our tastes, as was the adventurous white cheese sharkasia (2.5LE). Although assured of its freshness by the shop assistant, due to a slight greying of the meat, we were too nervous to try the roast beef bacon and lettuce (3LE) sandwich.

As for the desserts, each one was more scrumptious than the other. The chocolate tart was piled high with chocolate chips, while the inside was filled with a rich, creamy, chocolate paste. The blueberry pastry was filled with sweet cream, as were the seasonal fruit creations. The bitesized caramel and strawberry cheesecakes were exceptional and were wonderfully sweet, thick and creamy.       

Despite occupying such a modest venue, Six Bites offer exceedingly good finger foods at more than reasonable prices, making them an excellent catering choice for any occasion.