Oriental Flair

The Bab El Nil restaurant

By Hend Seif El Din

When you first walk into the restaurant, you notice the creative interiors; the theme blends Egyptian screen legends with cheerful pop art, creating the perfect mixture of oriental décor and modern design. The colors are bright and, well, very pop-art-ish; the lines are sleek and polished; by far one of the most recommended spots to head to for lunch!

Moving on to the mouthwatering dishes. The Bab El Nil chef truly brought the best of oriental and Arabian cuisine to the table. Starting with their wide array of cold and hot mezzes, enjoy Bab El Nil’s yummy hummus (yes, it’s vegan and vegetarian friendly!), the smoked eggplant, or mountable, the muhammara–red bell peppers grilled to perfection–and/or the delicious warak nab, braised vine leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables. For the carnivore in you, opt for the meat sambousek. Don’t forget to choose a salad to go along with your meal! Why not try the restaurant’s farrouche, tabbouleh or their ballad salad?

From the Lebanese bakery, opt for one of their mouthwatering mannaish. While you’re at it, consider the safihet lama, too!

In the mood for a soup to keep you warm? I’d recommend the oriental lentil soup for sure!

Now it’s time for the main course! Go ahead and order their yummy molokhia. You can have this delicious vegetable dish plain, served with vermicelli rice, garlic and crispy bread, or you can order it with chicken or rabbit. Bab El Nil’s tajines are also to-die-for! Choose from a wide array of those, ranging from the betello bel she’ria tajine, in other words the veal with vermicelli and cardamon tajine, to the tajina smack sayadia if you’re in the mood for seafood.

From the grill, enjoy their shish tawouk or their egyptian hawawshi.

The desserts truly taste as yummy as they look! Check out the delectable mixed selection or oriental sweets and their om ali.

Wash down your meal with one of their one-of-a-kind mocktails or your choice of fresh juice. Needless to say, soft drinks and alcohol are also optional, so take your pick!

To top it off, enjoy a warm cup of tea, coffee, or any other hot beverage that comes to mind, alongside a professionally-made shish.

Bon appétit!