The Streets of Cairo at Cairo Takeaway, Enmore

Modelling itself on an Egyptian fast food eatery, Cairo Takeaway is a very popular (read, best go during quiet times) stop for people looking for Egyptian dishes like karkade, koshari and Molokheya.

One Sunday afternoon Nina and I cross busy Enmore Road and arrive at Cairo Takeaway. It has just turned 12pm and we have a few picks for somewhere to sit unlike the last time I tried to eat here and there was a queue of people waiting for a table. As it's a gorgeous day we take a seat at one of the three outdoor tables. Service is very friendly and nothing is too much trouble.

There's a display of colourful pickles, salads and felafels and on weekends there is an additional brunch menu available. Nina goes inside to order while I watch the cars and people go by outside.

Our drinks and food arrive together. The freshly squeeze sugar cane juice is new to Nina, she's had sugar cane before but not the juice. It's sweet and I love the flavour of sugar cane juice which is slightly herby or green.

The felafel roll has about 5 pieces of felafel inside with salad, pickles and tahini in a sesame seed pita bread. It's not the easiest item to share and I quite like it although I liked it better with a bit more sauce as some bites can be a bit dry.

I then move onto the mixed dips plate. They're small portions although delicious and I particularly like the fluffy garlic toum and the Mahsa’aha which is deep fried chunky capsicum and eggplant in a tomato based sauce. There is a rolled up large pita as well as deep fried pita chips and salad as well.

Nina is a vegetarian but doesn't mind if I order meat because she will order another dish. I order the Molokheya which is Egyptian rice cooked with fried noodles and a portion of roasted, spiced chicken as well as a Molokheya (Egyptian spinach) sauce. The chicken is quite good although not quite in proportion with the rice which is abundant. When the spinach is cooked with the chicken it keeps it moist.

The breakfast couscous is Nina's pick. It's a dense couscous pudding topped with poached rhubarb and pistachios. It's lightly spiced and on the sweet side although not overly so which she likes (although I think I prefer things on the sweeter side).

So tell me Dear Reader, do you prefer to come back to a place when it is less busy or will you queue for a table? Have you ever tried Egyptian food and if so, is there a dish that you like the best?

This meal was independently paid for.

Cairo Takeaway

81 Enmore Road, Enmore, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9517 2060
Breakfast from 9am weekends Only
Noon – late 7 days
www.cairotakeaway.com/