Business Today staff members are always on the lookout for eateries that make for great locales to wine and dine clients. We’re also a big fan of the much-touted business luncheon, where deals are often sealed over an open-faced sandwich or grilled veggie salad.

So it should come as no surprise that we’re reviewing Blackstone Bistro, a relatively recent addition to Cairo’s gourmet-inspired comfort food scene, with an international flavor. The surprise was how mixed the opinions were among staffers who had tried their fare. While there were a few glowing comments, the end result of our informal poll was a definite mixed bag, despite positive reviews from the likes of Cairo 360 and Al-Ahram Weekly.

We decided to put the Zamalek branch to the test. Located on the trendy, restaurant-laden Taha Hussein Street, Blackstone Bistro’s décor showcases the same fusion inspiration as its food. It mixes black and white photos of famous US cities and the rustic life of Egypt’s Bedouin tribes. The eclectic art on the walls is framed by ubiquitous fake red brick.

While the use of such materials can come off as tacky, somehow the brick, which feels quite real to the touch, gives the restaurant a certain ‘homey’ appeal. This is only accentuated by the lighting, which is focused on illuminating the tables versus the entire restaurant — a definite plus when chatting with partners, clients or even close friends because it fosters that much-appreciated sense of intimacy and privacy.

Guests start out with fresh baked breads. The rolls often change depending on when you go and what is available in the bakery. The best, hands down, were the thick-cut slices of whole-wheat bread, still hot from the oven. The rolls come with several options of spreads, including cheesy tomato, butter and baba ghanoush. To drink we ordered a virgin piña colada and fresh strawberry juice, both of which were refreshing.

For something warming, start with the brown lentil soup. The thick, creamy broth is filling without being overwhelming, and it is salted just right.

The real treat were the thin chunks of steamed zucchini and red peppers. The veggies were a nice surprise and only added to the soup’s appeal, particularly since getting hearty soup in Cairo can sometimes be a challenge. A cup costs LE 15, while the large bowl is LE 20. We suggest sticking to the smaller portion to save room for the rest of the meal.

We also recommend the French onion soup. With a thick cheese crouton floating on top, this soup is almost an entire meal in itself. The deep amber broth is heavily stippled with thick slices of melt-in-your-mouth soft, sweet onions. Granted, the cheese was mozzarella and not the traditional Gruyère, but you’d be hard pressed to find a better French onion soup in Cairo. 

Because the menu has so much breadth, we decided to try the Blackstone Sampler (LE 140), which comes with the restaurant’s take on jumbo buffalo shrimp, spicy wings, slow-cooked ribs and calamari with sides of blue cheese, mango chutney and soy dipping sauces. The starter is a great option for sharing with two or three people, but only if you like your food with a kick.

Our favorite by far was the slow-cooked ribs that fell off the bone. The fat-infused gravy was absolutely delicious, not to mention satisfyingly messy. We also thoroughly enjoyed the fried calamari with fresh tomatoes and cilantro.

Unfortunately, the other two items weren’t as mouthwatering. The shrimp, though cooked to perfect tenderness, were just this side of too spicy. The fiery aftertaste in our mouths made it difficult to experience the subtler flavor of the calamari or the over-the-top spicy wings, which only exacerbated the burning sensation on our lips.

Luckily we had also ordered the green salad with caramelized walnuts and apple slices, which helped cool our overworked palettes. Although there was a bit too much balsamic dressing, the mixture of leafy lettuce, green apples and walnuts were lovely, and proved the restaurant would definitely interest lighter eaters and vegetarians. That being said, the salad only came with four walnuts, which was disappointing.

The entrées
Another tasty vegetarian meal option is the vegetable pesto penne (LE 49). Although it might sound like an exaggeration, the dish contains arguably the best pesto in the city. The oil, garlic, basil and parmesan cheese blend liberally coated the al dente penne and made for a thoroughly pleasant entrée. The grilled zucchini and peppers were also top notch, but the addition of sun-dried tomatoes was what pulled the dish together and made it truly special. 

The restaurant is also known for its burgers. To see what Blackstone could do, we ordered the original burger. Although the cut of meat was a bit greasy, likely due to the fat content of the ground beef, the burger was flavorful, with the exception of the first bite which was a bit tough (LE 51). The sourdough bun, thick mayonnaise and heaping extras were nice additions that gave the meal a more sophisticated feel. However, the patty was slightly undercooked, which, it seems, is Blackstone’s modus operandi with beef, according to several bt staffers. We suggest asking for your beef cooked above your liking.

But the highlight was the three sides the meal came with: French fries, sweet-potato fries and beet fries. Never having tried beet fries, we were skeptical at first, but like the other fries, the beets were quite good and made us wonder why they weren’t an option as a side on their own.

However, we also wanted to know why the regular fries were clearly from a bag since the restaurant had gone through the trouble of cutting up sweet potatoes and beets.

Those who don’t want to be overwhelmed with flavor should probably stick to the original burger. The Jamaica jerk burger (LE 55) was essentially the original burger, but kicked up 50 notches too many in the spice department. While we appreciate the zest spices can add to a meal, Blackstone definitely could use a lesson in the art of simple foods with little fuss.

Going beyond the basics, we also ordered the Moroccan lamb shank (LE 122). Like most lamb in the city, the meat was gamey, but it was perfectly fork tender and had great texture. The portion was also enough to share. However, the sides were nothing to write home about with flavorless couscous and limp steamed veggies.

The Spanish paella (LE 78) was also a disappointment. The rice was not spicy as promised, and though flavorful, the overcooked shrimp, beef and chicken didn’t do much for the palette. Admittedly, this was ordered on a lark because we had never seen it on a Cairene menu outside of a few select seafood restaurants, so we should not have been surprised. Too full for dessert, we skipped ordering anything from the bakery, which is half off after 2pm.

Overall, the service was quick and cordial. We also appreciated the manager coming over to inquire about the food and taking our comments about the starters’ spiciness seriously. (We also suggested giving diners options on how spicy they prefer the wings and shrimp.)

Although there were a few misses, and the food can be so complicated it takes away from the quality ingredients, the service, ambiance and the breadth of the menu more than made up for it. So much so that we are sure to come back for their much-touted breakfast menu which looks absolutely mouth-watering. bt