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

Featured image courtesy of Hungry Egyptian via Yokal – Facebook.

Cairo is notoriously famous for its street food, but it doesn’t always have to be a rough meal that takes its toll on your stomach on the next day. Some have made it poshy, while others try to keep it as authentic as possible, but there are places like Yokal, where the two methods meet.

With two branches, in Zamalek and Heliopolis, we went for the first venue, which is located in a side alley that’s a bit hidden from the eyes. The place is designed to combine fast food restaurants and street food vibes, with a creative touch that you can see in the Coca-Cola icebox seats of the scattered highchairs.

The menu includes various Egyptian street-food sandwiches, like sogo’, liver, kofta, and the famous local dessert, Sakalance. The sandwiches are rather small, so we decided to opt for one of their meals, the Totalah (85 LE), which had a total of 7 sandwiches; 2 of each of the savoury items on the menu, and a Sakalance sandwich, in addition to a soft drink, and a small side of fries.

Boasting an interesting packaging, the food was served in a rectangular box, with the sandwiches facing up. Having looked the most appealing, we started with the liver sandwiches; despite being heavy on spices, they were, nevertheless, tasty. 

On the other hand, the sogo’ sandwiches were well-seasoned, complemented by the tahini, and mustard dressings. Our least favourite were the kofta sandwiches, which we found both dry and bland.

As for the Sakalance, which is a mixture of Halawa spread, and cream, it was the perfect finale for a flavourful meal; sweet, creamy and smooth. The one thing the meal has in common is the French petit-pain, which, soft, fresh, and tasty, boasted a texture that blended well with all the different fillings.

The portions may not be the biggest in town, yet Yokal is perfect for a sudden local-food craving; from the good flavours, and the quick, efficient service, to the presentation that stands out.