Take Your Seat At Sofra

You can’t help but feel the excitement bubble up when you take your first look at Sofra, with the restaurant’s posh exterior in stark contrast to its Mohandiseen surroundings, you’ll be rushing to get through its inviting doors. After your first steps into the restaurant, you’ll be taken aback by the royal feel of the restaurant: black chandeliers accentuated with sparkling crystals, art deco black and silver dining tables, extravagantly cozy white chairs with silver linings and a vase full of red flowers in full bloom. It’s almost as if you stepped back in time to a decade of dreamy elegance, where dining was a formal affair and not just a quick stop to satisfy growling stomachs. The water windows and plants complete the peaceful setting, and the overall hint of romance in the atmosphere is almost palpable to budding new couples. Once we settled in, the waiters sent us a complimentary dish of freshly baked, impeccably scented bread sticks with oregano and cheese. For a healthy appetizer we chose the spinach cannelloni (LE 12.99), definitely a favorite dish of the night. For the ‘grand event’ we ordered a traditional Veal Piccata Filet with mushroom sauce and Basmati rice (LE 59.99) and the Grilled Chicken Mushroom served with pasta with white sauce (LE 44.99). The veal filet was cooked superbly, the mushroom sauce was rich in flavor, and the novel oriental Basmati rice was interesting. If you want to go for the healthy choice, go for the grilled chicken, without the spinach sauce they experimentally added to it. The pasta with white sauce was so good that it brought back memories of pasta I had in Italy. Dessert was the best part of the night. The Traditional Cheesecake (LE 19.99) was not at all traditional. It was enjoyably creamy with a strawberry on top and just a hint of strawberry sauce, which made it lighter than most cheesecakes you find in Cairo. I’m not a big fan of cheesecake but I would go to Sofra especially for it. We also tried the Toffee Banana (LE 19.99) with ice cream and biscuits: The soft bananas, crunchy biscuits and refreshing ice cream were a perfect mix. After finishing dinner, we still felt comfortable hanging around and continuing our ‘girls’ night out.’ That’s not to say that it’s not a place for couples or family lunches — Sofra boasts an atmosphere of relaxed yet elegant dining that can be enjoyed by all. You will definitely be going back to Sofra. For the variety of international and oriental food available on the menu, your wallet will thank you for taking it to a restaurant with reasonable prices and portions.  Sofra • 45 Michelle Bakhoum St. (El Nour St.), Mohandiseen • Tel: +2 (010) 554-6309 • Open 12pm-1am • Moderate