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

As every new Cairo
venue looks to outfox its competition, Zamalek’s newest addition presents one
of the more impressive traits. Newly opened Trio proudly wears its health-conscious, environmentally-friendly heart on its sleeve. This, we can trust, seems much more than just a gimmick.
The restaurant’s use of locally sourced ingredients, support of local agriculture and commitment to recycling, for example, has little
bearing on its aesthetics.

Trio’s interior is
minimal, restful and spacious. The simple layout employed is what every
self-proclaimed lounge in Cairo should aspire to be; comfortable seating, dim
lighting and gentle lounge music all mesh into one perfectly relaxed mood.
Although adequate for dining, Trio would be a perfect spot for evening drinks –
it has ambience and atmosphere by the bucket load.

Trio’s menu is
ambitious and offers a range of dishes, from pizzas and sandwiches to seafood
and pasta. The Trio Platter (59.95LE) offers diners a choice of three out of coconut
shrimp, grilled corn, Indonesian chicken skewer and chicken wings with your
choice of sauce. Though cooked well, there was little sign of coconut flavour
in the shrimp and the same went for the wings’ ginger and sesame sauce. The
corn was made well, and mouth-wateringly drenched in butter.

Of the three steak
choices, the New York Strip sets you back 134.95LE, and comes served with a
choice of sauce and a side. The pepper sauce came in a generously sized pot but
tasted overwhelmingly of molasses, even when stirred thoroughly. A portion of
homemade potato chips were pleasant enough, while the steak itself wasn’t
seared properly, which may explain the beef’s lack of taste and seasoning.

Going by the adage
that fresh seafood shouldn’t taste fishy, but should taste of the sea, the pan
fried sea bass (69.95LE) smelt and tasted more of the former. The smell became
more pungent with every slice and the roasted tomato mixture which sat atop it
was cold and tasted metallic. Despite this, the fish itself was cooked
perfectly and the accompanying mashed potato was nicely smooth, creamy and full
of garlic.

As one of the
restaurant’s signature dishes, the Trio Ice Cream Sandwich (25.95LE) is a
guarantee to please anyone with a sweet tooth.  Three layers of thick, crisp biscuit hold
together two layers of creamy, soft vanilla ice cream. The small tower is
generously laden with caramel sauce, where the dessert gets most of its
perfectly subtle sweetness from.

Trio’s eco-friendly
approach is commendable, as is the bold menu which covers a huge range of
tastes. The execution of said dishes leaves much to be desired, but as is with
any new dining venue in Zamalek, hopes are high for Trio.