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

If you’ve ever tried Greek cuisine, you’ll notice some similarities with Lebanese and Egyptian dishes. They share our Kofta, Shish Tawook, and Kebab, but they might have some odd names. Yet despite the similarities, it’s always a treat to eat Greek food, which is why we decided to revisit The Greek and see what they’re up to now.

We were so glad to find that the restaurant retains its decoration, beauty, and delish dishes. It won’t be easy to find similar dishes in Cairo. From the first glimpse, you’ll feel the decoration has transported you to the serene and stunning Santorini. Blue dominates, as paintings and Greek music take you the rest of the way to Greece. Although it’s quite a small place with around 4 tables only, you’ll feel very cozy inside, and the experience will get even better when you start munching on their food.

You won’t find that many choices in the menu, especially in main dishes and desserts. Unfortunately, as well, we found that many dishes were missing at the time of our visit, in terms of desserts and coffee choices. We started our meal with Nespresso Cappuccino (25 EGP), and from the appetisers, we opted for the Feta Me Sousami (65 EGP). We added a Keftedes Wrap (72 EGP), as well as a Chicken Souvlaki Meal (140 EGP) for our main dish.

When we ordered our meals, they gave us a cover of thick Greek bread that looks like Fetir (Egyptian pie), made with white flour. Much like a pizza crust but softer, it had thyme, garlic powder, onions, and olive oil, it tasted absolutely delicious. We had a hard time stopping our munching on the bread, but we decided we need to leave room for the rest of our meals. Next up was the coffee along with the appetisers. Greek coffee is usually served a bit warm, not too hot so you can drink it right away, and its flavour will make you want to drink it right away.

Now for the appetisers, the Feta Me Sousami came in a small plate with some honey as a dip. They were two thick pieces of feta cheese, fried with sesame seeds. We absolutely love sweet and sour flavours, yet this was an unexpected trip. Feta cheese combined with the savoury sesame made a strong counterpart against the sweetness of honey, it was confusing but quite delicious. Yet it may not be to your liking if you’re not a sweet and sour person.

As for the main dish, the Chicken Souvlaki Meal came as two shish tawook type skewers with two side items and Greek Pita Bread. We chose the Golden Saffron Rice, and the Side Mavromatika Salad. This meal does to your mouth as a Greek play does with your heart. Perfectly spiced and cooked chicken was only complemented by the flavoursome rice, topped off by an excellent salad. Our only comment is the somewhat small portions.

Despite the deep feelings we have for the Chicken Souvlaki, our favourite was actually the Keftedes Wrap. It’s a pretty small wrap, about a handful, but it’s indescribably tasty. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and marinated with yogurt, cucumber, and onions. We were torn between the keftedes and the wrap’s dough, not sure which to love the most.

We had a great time at The Greek, we were so excited to finish it off with dessert, but at the time they only had ice cream, yogurt with fruits, and a normal cake. Consequently, we ended our visit here, but it’s definitely not going to be our last trip to one of our favourites in Cairo that still retains its excellent level of service.