Name of Venue: Cumin
Type of Cuisine: Traditional Egyptian street food with a modern fusion twist.
Signature Dishes: Traditional liver dish (grilled, breaded or Alexandrian), sausage (grilled, breaded, Alexandrian, Turkish, Eastern or cheese), the Cumin Special (liver, sausages, kofta or mombar), Sandwich 4×4 (with sausage, liver, kofta and sakalans), Om Ali and a delicious couscous dessert.
Dishes sampled: The menu contained everything you would expect from a classic Egyptian restaurant. There was a wonderful breakfast selection on offer, and we dived right in with the Feteer Meshaltet. There was too much for one person, so this was a sharer. It was prepared to perfection, with plenty of honey, molasses and cream to dip into.
We followed up with salads and the main course, starting with a generous helping of a delicious Egyptian standard: Baba Ghanoug and a Chicken Caesar Salad, along with a mouth-watering helping of Plain Hawawshi cooked on the grill. The Hawawshi was amazing and definitely something you should try. We also sampled the king of all Egyptian classics: Koshary. It was cooked to perfection, and the chick-peas had just the right slightly nutty texture, something to get your teeth into. The sauces were delicious! To complement this, we had a helping of Pickled Potatoes. Boiled and then fried and doused in parsley and spices, they were truly delicious!
We were already feeling quite full at this point, but who can resist Om Ali, the mother of desserts? It’s rich textures and flavors were a delight. The Mahalabeya was also irresistible and ended a wonderful meal.
Other menu options that appealed: If I had to pick out something from the extensive breakfast menu, it would have to be the Cumin Combo 2, which consists of foul, falafel, fries, two boiled eggs, cheese with tomato, fresh juice and tea or coffee. The Stuffed Tomatoes from the salads and the Breaded Chicken or Cumin Special (meat) from the mains, also looked too good to not try. From the desserts, the Couscous and the Sweet Potato with Nutella stood out.
Beverage Options: There is an extensive range of hot and cold drinks, including Tamr Hindi (tamarind) and Sugarcane, a good selection of juices, canned drinks and shakes available.
Décor: Street-style fusion, including an open kitchen area, with classic Egyptian motifs. The furniture is all handmade and decorated to the restaurant’s specifications by Earth Gallery. High up on the walls, mock windows with washing hanging, mimics the streets of Old Cairo, clean and presentable for the 21st Century.
Ambience: The combination of the décor and the background music of Hisham Kharma’s modern fusion take on the classic Egyptian sound, creates a feeling of modernity and tradition. Street style and airiness combine in this relaxed environment. Complementing that is the soon-to-come Egyptian movie nights.
Clientele: Families and an upper social class, mainly in the 18-30 age group. Also great for those who just want a quiet coffee and a shisha.
Home Delivery: Yes
Price Range: Moderate
Opening Hours: 10am to 1.30am
Good to Know: A percentage of the profits goes to the Mashro3e Kheir NGO for the benefit of disadvantaged children.
Address: Twin Towers Mall (Rivulet Plaza), Sheikh Zayed, 6th October.
Tel: 0100 573 0033
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cumin.egy
Instagram: cumin.egy
Recipe:
Alexandria Style Liver
Ingredients:
250gms of liver
50gms green pepper, finely chopped
25gms yellow and red pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
Oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon
Spices
Put the oil in the frying pan and turn on to a low heat.
Cut the liver into thin slices and place into the oil and cook for about 4 minutes.
Put the chopped green, red and yellow peppers into the pan, along with the garlic, spices and salt and pepper.
Stir together and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Serve with bread and tahini.
