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

Just like the never-ending cupcake phenomenon, the concept of gourmet burgers continues to take Egypt by storm. And because there can never be too many burger restaurants, we headed over to Willy’s Kitchen; one of the latest burger  additions to the Cairo restaurant scene, located in Nasr City.

Of the many burger joints trying to stand out by claiming authenticity in taste and style, Willy’s Kitchen's small space, which is no more than a kitchen and 4 tables, keeps things simple, leaving us to concentrate on the burgers.

We kicked things off with fried cheese-stuffed mushrooms (22LE) as an appetiser and, as our burger mains, we opted for a Smoked House BBQ burger (43LE) – also known as the Cowboy Burger in many Cairene burger restaurants  – a 120gm  Willy’s Nacho Burger (37LE) and, finally, a side of Chili Cheese Fries (22LE).

With a crispy golden crust on the outside and a perfect fusion of flavours with mushroom and cheese on the inside, our fried cheese-stuffed mushrooms were outstanding. The melted cheese gave the whole dish a pleasing richness, while the mushrooms had a delicious earthy taste, a spongy texture and perfectly absorbed all the cheese flavours. Each bite was complemented with that perfect crunch in the crust; possibly the best fried mushrooms we’ve tried so far.

Now, let’s get down to the business of the burgers. The first burger we tried was the Smoked House BBQ, which boasted a flavourful, fantastically-seasoned and juicy patty, distinct smoky flavour – thanks to a slice of crispy beef bacon— inside fresh and fluffy bread and infused with just the right amount of BBQ sauce. The melted cheese, however, was a little redundant when considering the other elements and flavours, while the onion rings had a crust that didn’t hold together.

Moving to our Willy’s Nacho burger, we initially had concern that it might be too greasy; but it was actually just perfect. Wrapped in tortilla bread then deep fried, the sandwich had a crispy crust on the outside, but remained soft on the inside, while the patty was just as juicy and tender as the first burger. Even though it needed more cheese and the chilli sauce would have worked better as a dip, the sweetness of the caramelised onions, the heat from the jalapeños and the smokiness of the beef bacon came together perfectly.

We wrapped-up our burger fiesta up with the chilli cheese fries, which passed with an A+ thanks to the great chilli seasoning, good consistency in the cheese sauce and well-cooked fries which all perfectly held together .

Overall, Willy’s Kitchen stands out with its relatively simple approach. At the time of our visit,  the service was a little slow; however, the burgers were far from disappointing, the portions were convenient and everything we ordered was well-executed.