Ethiopian in Egypt

The best little Ethiopian restaurant I ever went to was opposite the smartest restaurant in Jerusalem. I tried both -- at different times. The Ethiopian was sensational and much the best value for money. And it made me into something of an Ethiopian foodie.

So I had been aching to visit Samar el-Nil, an authentic little Ethiopian / Sudanese place in Dokki, but to do justice to the "sharing" philosophy of the cuisine, I needed a companion, in this instance my reluctant husband. Samar el Nil is a little tricky to find. Close to Lebanon Square, it's about halfway down a dimly-lit backstreet. It's worth it though - a vibrant and fun looking little place, it is clearly something of a haven for the Ethiopian diaspora here.

The menu's simple, and actually doesn't look terribly Ethiopian to those who eat it regularly. We ordered a "mixed" plate, and asked for tibs (or tibsy), a spicy beef dish, and the doro wat, a chicken stew. Our meal was presented on a bed of injera, a spongey bread described by some irreverent souls as resembling a dishcloth, along with some mixed vegetables, including lentils and something else I never did identify. (Alas, the picture right doesn't do it justice - the original photo was much too dim, and my efforts at enhancement have left it looking a little greasy. Veg on the left, doro wat on the right, spiced beef at the back.)

I'm quite hard to please but the beef was quite frankly the best I have had in an Ethiopian restaurant. The spices were just perfect, and it had a healthy kick.  Even my husband, who admitted mid-meal that Ethiopian wasn't his cuisine of choice that night, was pretty impressed. I am now of a mind to hunt out more Ethiopian in Cairo.

16 Husseini Street (off Abdel Aziz Gawesh Street) , Dokki, Cairo





 

Koshary, Koshari...

These days I am watching my weight, and koshary, a national staple, is hardly the dish to help with that. Ladles of pasta are smothered with with ladles of rice and lentils, topped with fried onions, chickpeas and a tomato sauce. It is a dieter's nightmare, but it is simply too good to pass up just once in a while.

On its own, I am slightly indifferent to koshary, but with a bit of chilli sauce on top, it becomes a dish transformed. The added bonus is that it's very cheap, arguably one of the best cheap meals you can enjoy in Cairo. All over the city, koshary joints beckon you in, and at lunchtime one has to fight a melee of hungry diners to find a spot. With such choice on my doorstep, I set out to find the best koshary. My mission ended somewhat prematurely, as somewhere along the way, I decided that if I was ever going to lose the pounds, I had to lay off the carbs.

So, here's my pick:

Cairo Kitchen, Abdel Aziz Osman St, Zamalek - funky little place with a great salad bar and daily Egyptian specials. Their koshary is wonderful, and they're very generous with the fried onions.  But the crowning jewel is their choice of spicy sauces which make this a koshary quite unlike any other in Cairo. Top marks. They also have a branch in Maadi.

Zooba, July 26 St, Zamalek - I love this place. Everyone is served at a long communal table (and it sometimes gets a little crowded and cramped), but the food is great Egyptian fare with a twist. They serve up wonderful spiced sausages, which you can eat straight or as a sandwich, and have an unusual display of beetroot and spinach breads. Their koshary is not the best I have tried, and the shatta (hot spicy sauce) lacks a certain zing. But certainly worth a visit if koshary is not all that you are after.

Abu Tareq, Champollion Street, Downtown - this place, spread over four floors, is famous among koshary lovers. It's hard to find a table, but well worth it when you do. The koshary (pictured right) has a nuttier, more peppery taste than those in Zamalek, and is quite delicious. The chilli sauce is good too. Almost top marks, but I still prefer Cairo Kitchen.

Sayed Hanafy, Orabi Square, Downtown - this is reputed to be one of the best koshary joints in Cairo. Overlooking the pretty Orabi Square, it's a pleasant place to hang out, and not as busy as some of the others. I believe the koshary was pretty good - the only problem is I smothered it with so much shatta (which here was so much spicier than everywhere else) that my mouth was burning for the duration of the meal. So I think it was good, but then again I really can't say.