Authentic Spanish Food Surpasses Expectation and makes you consider it one of the best Spanish cuisine restaurants in Sheikh Zayed.
By Nahla Samaha
Galleria 40 is taking very calculated steps on its way to becoming the go-to venue for the epicurean gourmands in all of us, Cachimba is a Spanish cuisine eatery with authentic Spanish delights cooked up by Chef Cristobal Angulo.
The indoor seating area offers a direct view onto the outdoor area and beyond through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls. With the first ever shisha bar in town, shisha-lovers can get a front row seat to the making of their shisha in a variety of exciting mixes.
What greeted us upon being seated by the friendly staff was a refreshing carafe of the house sangria made with fresh juice, and freshly cut fruit. Following our sangria we were treated to a traditional gazpacho Andaluz, a cold tomato soup, packed with everything from fresh veggies, to spices like cumin, and even bread.
What’s Spanish cuisine without tapas? We began our foray into cold tapas with the montaditos de ensaladilla de atun, a velvety tuna and potato concoction on a soft round slice of the house saffron bread. Following that was the montaditos de quest fresco con olivas y langostino, a creamy olive-cheese with shrimp, and succulent pepper marmalade on saffron bread.
Sipping on our rich sangria, conjuring images of poolside leisure… our daydream was immediately interrupted by a slew of warm tapas. We began with a house specialty; one of the dishes Cachimba is best known for, the rabas de calamari, a dish of perfectly golden crispy fried calamari strips. Then down came the croquets con chorizo, cute little chicken croquettes served with slices of the most punchy, tangy chorizo. Accompanying this dish was empanadillas de ternera; a pastry filled with spicy beef and vegetables, and the incredibly scrumptious gambas al ajillo, perfectly cooked shrimp in a mouth-watering garlic sauce.
Then the star of the evening appeared before our eyes, paella de frutos del mar, by far the richest, most authentic incarnation of Spanish paella in Egypt. Big enough to feed a party of four (we were only 2), we devoured the jumbo shrimp, the lobster tails, the seafood goodness tucked within the soft yellow mounds of rice… it was more than our pleasure to lick that dish clean.
With literally no room left to breathe, we shared a sorbete de limon for dessert, a refreshing palate cleanser of lemon sorbet with mint, tonic and tiny chewy pieces of lemon skins… the perfect ending to one of the most perfect dinners you will ever have in West Cairo!
Cachimba also offers a variety of cocktails, juices, lemonades and iced teas, hot drinks including some Spanish coffee delights, and milk shakes. A Ramadan menu is also available. With a branch currently open in Galleria 40, Cachimba is set to open its second branch at Cairo Festival City this July.
