El Khan

Egyptian Cuisine at its Best

By Hend Seif El Din

T he first thing I noticed was the cozy and warm atmosphere, accompanied by some of my favorite oriental tunes, which definitely add a dash of Egyptian flair to El Khan. Then it was time for me to indulge!

The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, pointing out which dishes I have to try…after figuring out that I’m a vegetarian, they were delighted to brief me on the numerous dishes I can still eat! So…for starters, I went for the incredibly moist vine leaves and tomato cheese, my all-time favorites! Meat lovers, don’t fret…you could’ve chosen iskandarany liver and oriental sausages instead.

As for my soup choice, I went for El Khan’s creamy lentil soup.

On to the main course; I opted for the sayadeya fish tagine, which was served with tomato sauces, vegetables and sayadeya rice. At this point, I was already stuffed, but couldn’t resist the tantalizing flavors and–honestly–ate my plate clean!

In case you’re wondering what you could’ve chosen from the restaurant’s extensive menu, well…you could’ve opted for a dish from “the grill corner,” offering everything from poultry dishes to lamb chops; and why not try one of the “main courses”? choose from fettah dishes and stuffed pigeons to molokheya and chicken charkaseya.

As for the final taste buds-tickling-treat, I personally went for baklava with nuts and rose water, to satisfy my sweet tooth. Nevertheless, there are numerous other options which I would’ve loved to try, including selections of oriental deserts, om ali, and a fresh fruit platter, which I’m all saving for the next time I visit El Khan.