Located on Gameat Al-Dowal, easily Mohandiseen’s busiest street, Charwood’s restaurant has become a Cairo staple, yet can still be considered one of the city’s best-kept secrets due to its size and unassuming location. It’s easy to miss this small French bistro in the sea of fast-food restaurants and stores it’s sandwiched between, but that’s part of its charm.

It is my firm belief that Charwood’s would rather have a small clientele that appreciates the art of a good meal instead of less discerning guests that order steak cooked shoe-leather well done. In a city of mostly mediocre food, Charwood’s is a foodie’s dream.

Charwood’s was once run by dedicated French chef Eric Dunoyer, and it certainly shows. From the décor to the bar and the food, everything is on point, and you’d expect nothing less from a French chef. Dunoyer has since passed away, leaving the restaurant to longtime staffer Hani, who is just as zealous in running a tight ship. (The proof is in the excellent service and food.) Steaks are the specialty here, but don’t turn your nose up at their selection of pizzas either, which are some of the best in Cairo.

Your nose gets the first hit when you walk into the restaurant. An aroma cloud of meat, baking bread and smoky wood chips engulf you as you survey the chalkboard-lined wall with the menu scribbled in neat, white chalk. The wooden tables and warm lighting make you feel like you’ve stepped into a quiet French bistro — the pictures of Parisian coffee shops on the walls don’t hurt either. Make a reservation if you plan to go later in the evening as the place can get packed, but if you’re there for an early dinner, the staff welcomes walk-ins.

If you’re a regular, Hani will come by and take your order — truthfully, he knows what you want before you do. If it’s your first time, he’ll gladly help you decide what cut of beef you’d like and the best wine pairing. (Long gone are the days when Dunoyer banned orders for meat cooked above medium well from leaving his kitchen, so you may order your steak medium, but Hani won’t like it.)

Once Hani takes your orders, out come bowls of complimentary salad and freshly baked bread. These starters are exactly what makes Charwood’s so successful: simple but delicious food without fuss. The red leaf lettuce salad is dressed with an incredible Dijon dressing and the slices of crisp flat bread (the same they bake their pizzas on) come hot and smattered with the lightest brushing of fresh tomato sauce. We could have gone home at this point and been completely satisfied.

As we waited for our entrees to arrive, we took in some more of the restaurant. The inconspicuous bar has a few seats where patrons can quietly enjoy a drink — Charwood’s serves a selection of local and imported wines and spirits — and even sports wine decanters. We watched as one of the wait staff meticulously cleaned tables, dropped a fork and then promptly replaced it with a new one. Watching the attentive but not overbearing service, we asked ourselves if we were actually in Cairo, and Gameat Al-Dowal Street no less.

Our starter of Charwood’s beef pizza (LE 41) arrived shortly after. The thin-crusted pizza came dressed with a drizzle of tomato sauce, a sprinkle of mozzarella, ribbons of filet mignon and handfuls of sharp arugula. The crust was riddled with delicious char marks and created a perfect base for the toppings. The meat was tender and rich and the arugula cut through it beautifully.

Before we could delve into some proper dinner conversation to help digest the pizza, our steaks arrived. All cuts are accompanied by sides of salad, roasted vegetables and your choice of home-cut fries or a baked potato. You also get your choice of sauce on the side: blue cheese, mustard, pepper or herb butter. The consensus at the table was that the baked potatoes were good, but more steamed than baked, the vegetables were tender and flavorful and the fries were out-of-this-world crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

The mains
The medium rare filet mignon (LE 85), which is the tail end of the tenderloin, came in three tender cuts that were perfectly pink all the way through. The cuts were juicy and flavorful and went well with the pepper sauce ordered on the side, which provided a great spicy kick.
One of our companions was in absolute awe with his tournedos (LE 100), which are slices from the center of the tenderloin. Indeed, the cut was incredibly moist and rich and fell apart in your mouth before you had a chance to chew it.

But the star of the night was the perfect-for-two Chateaubriand (LE 210), which is a thick cut from the tenderloin cooked whole and then sliced. The meat literally melted on our tongues and we were almost completely done before we’d realized we hadn’t used any of the mustard sauce we’d ordered, which provided a wonderful sharpness to the buttery meat.

Those of us with room after our meat feast fit for Caligula partook in the highly recommended tart tatin (LE 30). The traditional French dessert arrived piping hot and topped with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream that slowly crept in the crevices of the apples and down into the flaky crust. The apples were cooked to perfection in browned butter and sugar until they were sweet with that familiar tart tatin bitterness. The crunch of the sweet crust along with the bitter creaminess of the apples and vanilla ice cream created a perfect contrast of flavors and textures.

Charwood’s is by no means a new restaurant, but with impeccable service, delectable food and a charming atmosphere, this eatery couldn’t possibly get enough praise. And for those of you who live in Sixth of October, you can rejoice: Charwood’s plans to open a branch in Sheikh Zayed by the end of the month. bt

Charwood’s
53 Gameat Al-Dowal Street
Mohandiseen
Tel: +2 (02) 3749-0893