Coy: Breakfasting in the Heart of Heliopolis

December 1, 2020

Coy is located on the corner of a busy street in Heliopolis, concealed by a green wall of plants. Coy is an everyday spot in the neighborhood for anything from a great breakfast to an international dinner.

Dishes Sampled

We started our breakfast with a nutritious Recovery Bowl which consisted of a base of coconut milk-soaked oats, topped with white quinoa, mixed berries (frozen), sliced banana, whipped cream, yogurt, and sprinkles of dark chocolate, served with honey on the side. It is a sizable portion and can be easily shared by two. Definitely a healthy and comforting choice, with fresh flavors and a feel-good factor, making it a wholesome start to your day.

Following our healthy start, we deviated to more hearty options. First came the Continental Omelet, a warm crispy, buttery croissant, filled with scrambled eggs and beef bacon, on a layer of melted cheddar cheese and smoked turkey.

This sandwich is served with guacamole on top of the eggs and comes accompanied by fresh crunchy lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad on the side; beautifully presented and garnished with orange zest and baby radish leaves.

Our second sandwich option was a toasty and cheesy classic one: Cheese Toast. Toasted rye bread, melted mix cheese, tomatoes, green onion and red pepper puree, for some added moisture. The Cheese Toast is served with spicy mayo sauce and fresh salad.

To wrap it up, we fell for something more sinful. Lotus Drama, a date cake, topped with Lotus sauce and crushed nuts. A show for the eyes and a pleaser for any sweet tooth. We are glad we finished our breakfast on such a pleasant note accompanied by a cup of Americano black, no need for sugar.

Other Dishes that Appealed

We had tried Popcorn Latte but not the Milkshake version on offer. Also Coy is more than breakfast, the mains and desserts looked very appetizing for lunch or dinner. Next time we are in the neighborhood!

Ambiance and Decor

Coy has a very spacious outdoor area, which is a super plus these days. The cafe interior is clean and elegant, with grey and green accent chairs that contrast with the dark ceiling and wooden installations.

Clientele mix: Heliopolis residents, families and friends.

Price range: Affordable

Contact information

Address: 24 Al Horreya St., Heliopolis

Telephone: 0102 062 6120

Working hours: 10 am to 2 am

Facebook / Instagram: @coy_eg

Read our review of Melt Bistro & Cafe at Mall of Egypt

La Gourmandise at The First Mall: The Essence of France in a New Menu

December 1, 2020

When nostalgia for the bistros of France sets in, the best solace comes in the form of a visit to La Gourmandise at The First Mall in Giza.

It has just welcomed a range of mouth-watering new dishes, created by Executive Chef Erwan Laurenceau. Inspired by his home town Soings-En-Sologne in central France, they bring authentic flavors to tempt any palate.

New Menu Items

Flat breads, appetizers, Croque Croissant, Gnocchi à la Parisienne, Chicken Fricassee, Salmon Pavé, Beef Tournedos, Mullet à la Colbert, Sea Bass à la Dieppoise, and Sea Bream à la Vierge, and much, much more.

Dishes Sampled

The new menu offers such an exciting variety of authentic French recipes, we really did not know where to start. It seemed a good idea to make the most of the tantalizingly warm bread assortment with creamy homemade butter while we discussed the options.

Not much later we were savoring a most divine Seafood Crêpe. Crammed with a variety of seafood and spinach, the bisque flavored béchamel sauce had been glazed to perfection. This has now flown to the top of our ‘comfort food’ list!

There was no question about opting for Pissaladière, the sourdough flatbread that has won the hearts of so many visitors to the South of France. Topped with onion compôte, anchovy, black olives and thyme, it captured the spirit of the Mediterranean with each mouthful.

That was followed by a generous serve of Gnocchi à la Parisienne, light potato morsels sinfully bathed in creamy béchamel with lashings of melted Gruyere cheese. The dainty side salad of baby greens, tiny cherry tomatoes and endive with a honey and mustard balsamic dressing was just what was needed to cut the richness a little.

After such overindulgence, we decided to share a main of fish, with the Sea Bass à la Dieppoise attracting our attention. Oven-baked, with mushrooms and Valencienne rice, it also came with a gloriously creamy seafood sauce. Vowing to live on carrot sticks and lettuce leaves for the coming months, we cleaned up every last morsel.

It’s true, we were wavering over the idea of trying dessert when a straight-from-the-oven Tarte Tatin and Chocolate Fondant miraculously appeared on our table. A thoughtful gesture from the chef and we are so glad the decision was made for us. With a follow-up visit planned for the near future, we called it a night and set out for home.

Other Menu items that Appealed

Absolutely everything! Slow Cooked Beef with Creamy Polenta, or maybe Veal and Cheese Sausage with Mashed Potato and Veal Jus. The Poke Bowls would be a perfect option for a light lunch, and the Onion Soup would make a great winter warmer.

Décor and Ambiance

Set in the center of the luxurious First Mall in Giza, there is plenty of visual entertainment to enjoy while you dine. The atmosphere is every bit as rich as the cuisine, with high-end brands on display in the surrounding pristine windows and immaculately groomed passers-by gliding past.

Clientele mix: Elegant, chic and decidedly food-savvy, this is a ‘go to’ spot for anyone with a genuine love of good cuisine.

Thumbs up: The sanitation standards were impressive. The service team was masked and gloved, and little individual sachets of sanitizer were available on each table. These anti-Covid measures in no way affected the friendly professionalism of the service, it was discreet, perfectly timed and made us feel pampered and at home.

Good to know: Don’t forget to stock up on delectable pastries, chocolate, gateaux and macarons from the stunning fridge display before you leave.

Price range: Moderate upwards, but excellent value in terms of quality and portion sizes.

Contact information:

Opening hours: 8 am – 10 pm

Telephone: +2 02 3567 2090

Address: The First Mall, Giza St.

Check out Marlyn’s Nutella French Toast recipe

Bongoyo: African Flavors in El Gouna

December 1, 2020

A chef, a foodie, and a creative mind, Amira Elhamy brought African flavors and ambiance to the Red Sea with Bongoyo resto-bar. After years as a caterer, and a stint in Tanzania as a chef, Amira returned to Egypt to introduce us to a new, rich cuisine: African.

Amira made El Gouna her base for her new restaurant, as the resort city is quickly becoming a gastronomic capital.

Signature Dishes

All dishes are African-inspired from all over the continent, making Bongoyo home to several signature dishes. The owners, like the serving team, will recommend the Zulu Buns, the Lamb Shoulder, the Seafood Malindi coming all the way from Malindi, Kenya.

Also high on the recommendations list is the Malva Pudding as a sweet finish to the meal.

Dishes Sampled

Once seated, we were served a complimentary soda water infused with pomegranate, apples and grapes. We started our meal with a duo of delicious appetizers: Pineapple Salad and the popular Zulu Buns, a South African fried dough filled with pulled beef and raisin stew.

The bread was not a texture we were accustomed to, a mix between profiterole dough and hard-shell bread, made with a yeast dough and similar to the Caribbean Johnnycake for those who know.

The salad was whimsically served in an actual hollowed-out pineapple, made with thinly diced bell peppers, corn, cherry tomatoes, and more pineapple in it, it was one of the freshest salads we’ve tried, and it tasted like summer on a breezy fall evening.

Then the star dish of the night soon arrived: Kenya Roasted Short Ribs. The meat is for two hungry people and was presented on a layer of buttery grilled vegetables and mushrooms with a side of Swahili Pili Pili sauce. Incredibly tender and moist, the ribs took us to food heaven, the yellow sauce gave the dish a surprising kick that we didn’t know we needed. The Pili Pili sauce is very spicy and very flavorful, perfectly complementing both the vegetables and the meat.

For the second main course, we had the African Beef Fillet, cooked to pink perfection. If a place knows medium from medium well, then know you’re in a true meat lover’s spot. The sides were Five-Spice Rice and Pink Pasta, both well cooked and full of unusual flavors, as the spices came straight from other African countries.

We had to go for dessert, and that only means Malva Pudding. It is not a pudding, but rather a cake, a malva (marshmallow) cake with apricot, and a scoop of ice cream. The apricot is visible but not overpowering, and even though it’s pretty sweet, the ice cream balances the sweetness, making it our new favorite dessert.

Other Menu Items that Appealed

For our next visit, we’ll make sure to try the highly recommended chicken wings as they looked crunchy and appetizing coming out of the kitchen. The menu is a real treat for meat-eaters. However, there are vegetarian options because, at Bongoyo, no foodie is left behind.

Décor & Ambiance

Bongoyo successfully created a miniature African vibe with wood and wicker furniture, accessorized with patterned cushions, and with tall hunter statues at the entrance. The lights are dimmed in the outdoor area and a little bright in the small indoors part, creating a fancy and mysterious mood with a bar in the middle of the venue.

The décor and the food were carefully curated to give patrons a comprehensive experience. It is definitely the new “it” place for friends and family gatherings, or for a quaint date-night with stellar food and cocktails.

Clientele mix: The ideal place for group dinners and dates.

Contact information:

Opening hours: 6 pm – 12 am

Address: Opposite to Ebeid Supermarket, Inas Eldeghedy St., Downtown Gouna

Tel: 0121 266 4696

Instagram: @bongoyo.restobar

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An Insightful Look at Egypt’s Housing Crisis with Author Yahia Shawkat

December 1, 2020

Yahia Shawkat, author of Egypt’s Housing Crisis: The Shaping of Urban Space (AUC Press, forthcoming), is a housing and urban policy researcher who specializes in legislative analysis, data visualization, and historical mapping.

In the book, you argue that “housing is political.” Why is that?

Housing is political because it has big ramifications on the ruling government as well as the people themselves. Like we say, it’s the cornerstone of Egyptian life. There wouldn’t be a need for people to have to work in the Gulf and have this dependent relationship with working abroad to save up enough to be able to buy a home when they come back to Egypt.

You would probably have a more stable society with much better family relationships, you wouldn’t have people dying every year in housing collapses or living in substandard housing.

Was there a period in Egypt’s history when government housing worked efficiently and fairly?

I am not sure if there was a time when government housing worked efficiently or fairly. The 1950s and1960s were arguably the time where government housing was more geared towards the poor but then again it wasn’t enough in terms of scale or reach, for many different issues, and when Egypt did produce enough housing in the 1980s, it wasn’t accessible to the poor.

So there has always been this problem between the government’s ability to produce social housing and for it to actually be cheap enough or affordable enough for the poor that are supposed to be its main target.

Why is it that half of Egypt’s population can’t afford a decent home?

We have a relatively unique situation where about half of Egyptians cannot afford decent housing and I can boil that down to having a deregulated market. It is very important to look at the term ‘deregulation.’ As Peter Marcuse, who is a well-known urban planner and lawyer-activist, says, deregulation is a conscious act by the government to not regulate the housing market.

In fact, it is geared to be a market that is pro-speculative buying, pro-rising prices and this is a very big issue when the state is the main driver of commodification. It is very hard to get out of that. At the other end, the social housing that is produced isn’t enough to cover the needs of most Egyptians.

Do you advocate self-built informal housing?

As you find in the book, the self-built housing is what is actually called the social production of habitat. It’s where people produce their own homes for social use, that is the family use, and in Egypt people have been building their own homes for millennia.

Even with the invention of the housing market, with there being a rental market, with there being government housing, self-built housing is still the main provider of housing in Egypt.

To that end, I think it needs to be supported in a very big way for many reasons, chief of which is that there is very little real estate value in self-built housing. It is not built to be profitable, it is not built to be expensive but at the same time, it has very high value in terms of it being a home and providing all the needs that a home is supposed to provide.

Find more book reviews here!

16 Places that do Catering for Christmas and New Year’s Eve

December 1, 2020

Plan the perfect Christmas gathering and New Year’s eve party with these top-notch catering services. Have your pick from their delicious Christmas menu or order some tapas for a fun-packed new year’s eve party.

Chef Rana Ghoraba “Ranette”

Get into a festive mood by trying some great French cuisine at Ranette.

Catering: 50 to 500 persons

Lead time: 5 days.

Tel: 0100 661 7745

Facebook: Ranette – Chef Rana Ghoraba

Instagram: ranette_ranaghoraba

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Ingredients for Refreshing Body Scrubs From Your Kitchen

December 1, 2020

Why splash out on pricey body scrubs when you have all the ingredients at hand in your own kitchen? Mother Nature has provided us with all the nutrients we need to keep our skin healthy, supple and smooth.

Wonderful as food, and just as good in these scrumptious scrubs from Simply Scrub, they sound good enough to eat!

Strawberry

Strawberries contain salicylic acid, which is a beta hydroxy acid useful for problematic skin. This makes it a wonderful ingredient for people who are battling acne and blemishes.

These berries are also high in vitamin-C which can aid in restoring dry skin, helping make it soft and smooth. The powerful antioxidants in strawberries help skin stay healthy and radiant, especially improving the texture and appearance of aging skin by promoting the production of new cells.

Not only are these strawberry recipes great for exfoliating skin, but they also have a pleasant aromatic property that will make your skin routine more enjoyable.

Recipe 1: Great for smoothing your complexion and adding a radiant glow to your skin.

6 large strawberries
3 tablespoons sweet almond oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Using a blender or food processor, blend the ingredients until the consistency is creamy and contains no big chunks of strawberry.
Apply to wet skin in a circular massaging motion making sure to apply to areas that feel rough and dry. Rinse with warm water.

Recipe 2: Helpful for lightening discolored areas of skin, exfoliating dead cells, and has important antibacterial properties for blemishes or acne.

10 large strawberries
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons yogurt

Use a blender or food processor to whip all these ingredients together into a foamy cream texture.
Massage onto wet skin, focusing on problem areas and rinse with warm water.
Pat skin to dry.

Recipe 3: Calming and healing for the skin, helping rejuvenate irritated skin from acne or other conditions.

7 large strawberries
2 tablespoons fried oatmeal
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons yogurt

Blend these ingredients together or combine in a food processor until a mousse forms.
Lightly massage onto your wet skin, rinsing with warm water after application. This scrub is very

Banana

Bananas are an excellent natural ingredient you can use to maintain the freshness and softness of skin for your face and body. The properties in bananas are an alternative to harmful chemicals found in many skincare products on the market.

Banana scrubs are useful for people with normal to dry skin, as well as for sensitive skin. Bananas contain a considerable amount of vitamin E, ascorbic acid, and antioxidants, which all provide rejuvenating effects, and help stop the inflammatory processes in the body.

They can also help restore the cellular exchange, which can make small wrinkles appear less noticeable. Bananas can also help contribute to the regeneration of new cells, and restore the skin after exposure to sunlight.

Recipe 1:

2 teaspoons pureed banana
2 tablespoons fried oatmeal
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon milk

Blend everything in a blender or food processor until smooth. Massage lightly onto wet skin, and then rinse with warm water.

Recipe 2:

1 banana, pureed
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons honey

Mix ingredients in a blender or food processer until smooth and massage lightly on wet skin for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are a wonder in the beauty world, and they are often found in cosmetics, especially skincare. They can smooth fine lines and wrinkles while supplying the skin with B vitamins.

Cucumbers can also help stimulate the production of collagen, while also helping tone the skin and moisturize it. Cucumber juice is not only refreshing, but it can also brighten skin, helping reduce the visibility of acne, freckles, and pigmented spots.

The pH balance of a cucumber is similar to that of human skin; making it a gentle and natural ingredient you can use safely.

Recipe 1: Exfoliates and moisturizes the skin, which can be done 2 times a week to maintain smoothness and elasticity. Enjoy the light and refreshing aroma of cucumbers as you scrub impurities away.

1 medium cucumber, chopped
5 leaves fresh basil
5 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid)

Pulse ingredients in blender or food processor for 1 minute until the mixture becomes homogeneous. Lightly massage it on your wet skin, and rinse with warm water.

Recipe 2: This scrub with mint reduces skin irritation, removes oil, and refreshes the skin.

1 medium cucumber, chopped
6 leaves fresh mint
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey

Mix ingredients thoroughly, let it stand for 15 minutes, massage on wet skin, then rinse with warm water.

Use these scrubs after taking a shower using warm water to open your pores, essential for enabling your skin to absorb ingredients. Using fruits and vegetables that are full of water on your skin can help improve the function of the epidermal layer and maintain the optimal moisture balance of your skin.

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What NOT to Miss on the East Side on December!

December 1, 2020

Wondering what’s new on the eastside of Cairo? Tati Hafez takes us on a quick tour of all the new spots and services available to East Siders!

Hampelili – Christmas Calendar 2020

We’re getting ready for the end-of-year festive season and the excitement of Christmas. This year Hampelili developed a beautiful activity that will engage children and family with a very special calendar.

The calendar is to be built together, a fun and enjoyable way to spend time together while enhancing children’s fine motor skills. You can order yours through their Instagram page.

Telephone: 0111 1122 200

Facebook and Instagram: @hampelili

The Cooking School

The Cooking School has been up and running for a couple of years now. It offers courses on the most different types of cuisines like Egyptian, Spanish, Italian, French and Asian foods.

A fully certified commercial kitchen for cooking enthusiastic to meet chefs from the most varied backgrounds. A starting point if you want to improve your baking, pastry or grilling skills or just learn new dishes. Check out the social pages for monthly schedule updates.

Address: Midtown Mall, 5th Settlement, New Cairo

Website: www.thecookingschooleg.com

Facebook and Instagram: @thecookingschooleg

Norshek

When we came across Norshek products, named after the founder, we quickly became fans of the natural soap bars and special tea editions. Since then, the flagship store opened in Gouna and the line of products expanded to include more soap and tea options, along with shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, bath salt, and perfume.

According to Norshek, her products are a reflection of the passion of the community behind it. The growers, story-tellers or chemists each places input in the making of the products. Let your hair, body and spirit glow. Norshek delivers all over Egypt. Cairo takes 2 days from placing your order.

Website: www.norshek.com

Address: MB18-01 Abu Tig Marina, El Gouna

Facebook and Instagram: @norshek

Salma Abdel Salam – Outdoor barre classes at KMT

Trainer Salma Abdel Salam will engage you in a full-body workout, working on strengthening and lengthening your muscles, correcting your posture and customizing variations of the exercises.

Increase your body awareness and movements in a fun way. For all body types and ages. Held outdoors in the beautiful and spacious garden of KMT, in Maadi. Get class passes and discounts.

Address: KMT is located at 73, Street 15, Maadi

Instagram: @classwithsalma

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How New Tech is Playing a Role in Mental Wellness

December 1, 2020

It’s not all about Elon Musk y’know. If the thought of someone burrowing into your brain worries you, read on and be enlightened. Recent advances in technology have delivered a wide range of technical solutions for all kinds of conditions, mostly related to the pressures and stress of our increasingly dysfunctional lifestyles.

Chatbots

Ever feel lonely, let down and isolated? Are friends just too busy and wrapped up in their own lives? Listen up! There is a whole bunch of empathetic new buddies out there, with all the time in the world to listen to your woes. Covered at a recent Global Wellness Summit, chatbots Ginger.io and Replika are there to lend a listening ear and relieve the burden on mental healthcare professionals. Smart, algorithm-powered, text or voice-based interfaces are carving out a place in healthcare across the globe.

Feeling blue? Get in touch with your A.I. friend Replika. Feel free to share your innermost secrets and fears without worrying about criticism or a judgmental lecture. According to the website, “Replika was founded by Eugenia Kuyda with the idea to create a personal AI that would help you express and witness yourself by offering a helpful conversation. It’s a space where you can safely share your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, experiences, memories, dreams – your ‘private perceptual world’.”

Try chatting with Woebot, an algorithmic assistant who can boost your mood in no time at all by offering just the right sort of counseling and emotional support when you pour your heart out. Formulated using psychological research, AI and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP); it draws on clinically-validated therapy programs and addresses depression and anxiety stemming from today’s challenges, including post-partum depression and substance abuse. Helping over half a million people in over 120 countries, it has already proven to be an invaluable tool in the battle against mental health issues.

When you are tossing and turning and your mind is churning, how can you get through to a behavioral health coach at any time of day or night? Ginger.io offers on-demand mental health support, connecting you to a behavioral health coach within 60 seconds, along with access to trained therapists and psychiatrists via video link within hours. Available for anything from behavioral health coaching for ongoing issues like anxiety and depression to stress and relationship difficulties, Ginger.io is available in over 23 countries and currently works with nearly 100 global enterprises.

Hardware

Sentio Solutions Feel’s wristband is an integrated bio-sensory device that monitors its user’s physiological signals to track his or her emotional state. It links to a smartphone app that provides real-time support and evidence-based interventions, as well as weekly remote data based sessions with a licensed therapist. This is reinforced by an online educational learning program that helps the user to develop inner balance and long term emotional stability.

Talking about best friends, how about your relationship with your phone? Mindstrong is an app that analyzes how you interact with your mobile. Every move, how you type, where and when you scroll, it picks up on your moods. The point of all this? To detect your potential for developing mental health issues. For some of us, this may be a step too far.

Games

With a game-addicted culture rampant across all age groups it is a given that anything that pushes your buttons will be a winner. We know many people who will testify to the therapeutic effect of a quick game session when the stresses of the day begin to pile up.

SuperBetter, an app that maintains mental health by letting you score points for successful management of stressful situations, completing breathing exercises and breaking ingrained bad habits has taken off and accrued over a million followers to date. It is designed to help you on your journey to achieving your emotional, mental, physical and emotional goals, while gaming to your heart’s content.

Crave’s Chocolate Fondant Recipe

December 1, 2020

It’s time to throw ourselves into a festive mood and get ready to welcome a new year. A perennial crowd-pleaser, chocolate really shines in this simple fondant recipe by Crave. Make it the star of your table for a truly indulgent treat.

Ingredients

200g butter, melted
3 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting
50g caramel sauce
200g dark chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp very strong coffee powder (espresso is ideal)
6 eggs (three whole eggs, plus the yolks of 3), (freeze the leftover egg whites for another recipe)
75g golden caster sugar
50g plain flour
6 small metal pudding basins

Instructions

Use 50g of the butter to brush the insides of the pudding/baking cups. Put them on a baking tray and place in the fridge to chill until the butter sets. Brush over another layer of the butter, then dust generously with the cocoa.
Return to the fridge to set. Mix the caramel sauce with a good pinch of sea salt flakes, then chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Put the remaining butter, the chocolate and coffee powder into a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir the mixture until smooth, adding another small pinch of sea salt.
Add the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar into another bowl and beat together using an electric whisk until very pale – the whisk should leave a trail in the mixture when lifted. Sift in the flour, then gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
Spoon the fondant mixture into the prepared cups until just about halfway full, then transfer to the freezer on a baking tray for about 20-25 mins, or until the mixture is just set.
Add 1 tsp of the salted caramel sauce to the middle of each fondant, then top up with the remaining fondant mixture. Return to the freezer until frozen. Can be prepared up to two weeks ahead.
Heat the oven to 180 ^oC / 200 ^oC if a fan oven, or gas mark 6. Put the fondants on a baking tray and bake for 15 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of the cups.
Remove from the oven, then leave to rest for 1 min before turning out onto warm plates. Sprinkle with extra sea salt, then serve straight away.

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