Nadine Mustafa An authentic review of one of the branches of Pier88 group, Pier88 Pyramid Hills.
Looking to try Cairo’s most distinctive dining restaurant in 2023? Then there’s only one place that fits the bill – and that’s Pier88. Tucked away in Pyramid Hills – on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, Pier88 grants you an intimate fine dining experience with low lighting, and a convenient plan space in which to devour fine wines and delectable courses prepared by the incredible chefs and team. If you are a lover of all things history, you will be able to see the Pyramids across from the brilliant golf course in sight.
When we arrived at the restaurant on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., there was a tranquil atmosphere permeating the entire establishment. Cheerful staff members welcomed us and led us to our reserved table in the coziest area of the restaurant. We were given an overview of the menu and the chef’s specialties by our amiable host, Romany, and because we felt comfortable with him, we trusted him with our palates for the evening.
While there’s no doubt that Pier88 has added a touch of comfort to its fine dining experience, it’s obvious that it takes its culinary service very professionally and only uses the freshest, locally produced seasonal delicacies on its menus.
Two pesto-butter-flavored cubes were included in the beautiful bread basket that was presented to us. The bread came in a huge range of flavors, including white, brown, and other goodies from the bakery sections.
We were served the Bruschetta special for appetizers and it was just as delectable as it looked, fresh and every bite full of flavors, especially with that truffle on top. Not only that, we had the freshest Insalata Di Pomodori “Calabrese” salad and it was divine. It had “O’roots” organic tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, red onions & Italian Basil. We took a good 10 mins to clean our palates to get to the main course; the chef sent us the most spectacular two dishes that we were looking forward to trying. We devoured the Risotto Porcini E Pecorino, which is risotto with porcini mushrooms and pecorino cheese. It was a thick, creamy meal that was almost porridge-like, but each grain of rice still had a distinct bite to it.
Already having us on cloud 9 – Gamberoni All Griglia – landed on a dish that pretty much-resembled art. This dish is what they say “Less is more a lot of the time”. And like a lot of Asian cuisines, the chef’s technique was simple and immaculate. We managed to taste the grilled shrimp and the steamed vegetables clearly on their own without many masked seasonings to them. The shrimp were immersed in this dainty sauce that had us dip each bite into it.
We headed to the bar as the evening evolved, so we could end the night on a good note with a cocktail. Some of the city’s greatest up-and-coming cocktail makers serve the beverages here with technique and panache. We saw how the pier88 homemade passion cocktail was prepared, and it’s safe to say that we enjoyed seeing the process just as much as the final taste.
Do yourself a favour and reserve a table at Pier88 in the interim for a distinctive experience you’re not likely to forget – and that you’ll be raving about to other foodies for years to come.
