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

Feel
like cooking Thai food today? Or do you have a special occasion coming up and
need some delicious Pillsbury cake mix? If so, then look no further than Myriam
Market in Maadi.

Located
in Degla just down the road from the popular El Shader café on a quiet intersection
is Myriam Market, one of the neighbourhood’s most famous supermarkets. The supermarket
holds a special place in the community, and it is very evident by the myriad of
customers’ pictures lining its walls.

Similar
to the equally popular Kimo Market, Myriam Market mostly caters to the
large expat community living near the Cairo American College. The benefit of
this is that the supermarket offers a very diverse offering of international products:
from fish sauce and rice noodles to authentic tasting Indian curries. However,
the majority of their space seems to be dedicated to one thing: delicious
American junk food.

Everything
from Oreos to Kool Aid to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal can be found here. But
like all imported goods in Egypt, you will have to pay a very hefty price.
Although this reviewer would not recommend Myriam Market for practical, basic
grocery shopping, the supermarket is a haven for junk food enthusiasts and
those who want feel like treating themselves every once in a while.

They
offer a packet of Oreos biscuits at a whopping 49LE; but at least for that
price you have a choice between regular, double-stuffed or reduced fat (to ease
the guilt). They also have a very large variety of American cereals, most of
them starting at 39LE up to 49LE, depending on the size and brand.

However,
not everything is expensive. Delicious and easy to make Pillsbury Cake mixes
only cost 20LE a box. Myriam deserves some credit for offering the local
equivalent of whatever imported item that they have on their shelves: you can
choose to buy a large bottle of Ocean Spray for 32LE, or you can opt for the
local Juhayna brand for only 6.75LE.  

That
concept of choice expands into the meat section, where they offer a wide
variety of meat, chicken and turkey. Right next door is the cheese section,
where you will find a colourful smorgasbord of both local and international
brands, either pre-packaged for sliced-to-order.

The
produce section is hidden in the back, and few steps below ground level. The
grocer there knows his stuff and always seems to stock good-quality vegetables,
including asparagus, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and various herbs.

Myriam Market is an excellent choice for Maadi
residents looking for that elusive spice ingredient or a delicious imported
treat all in one shop.