Richoux in Egypt

A LITTLE PIECE OF ENGLAND IN CITYSTARS

Most people don't ordinarily think of a shopping mall as a location for a truly mouth-watering meal. And yet, one of the best culinary experiences in Cairo now makes its home at the capital's famous CityStars mall. The Richoux Tea Room and Restaurant recently opened its doors in Phase Two of the sprawling complex, with an inviting, graceful feel and understated cuisine. In fact the venue exudes excellence in a typical English manner, with traditional English décor, high teas and desserts.

Richoux's homey interior is decked out with olivegreen built-in leather couches, lush deep red seats, marble top tables and light woods; capturing the essence of the old English teahouse. From the shimmering antiques in their cabinets - authentic Richoux teapots, cups and plates - to the golden beige wallpaper and pearl red and beige marble tables, no detail is forgotten. Even the paintings hugging the walls were personally handpicked from London.

Terrific teas, fuss free delicious food and understated charm. Nora Al Anbar indulges in a little Englishness at the Richoux Tea Room and Restaurant.

Richoux is like a calm escape; a chic yet down to earth experience. Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon teas are served in the traditional British fashion. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, crumpets, scones, assorted tea sandwiches, and biscuits. Lunch offers favourites such as Beef Stroganoff, fish cakes, Shepherd's pie, and a variety of pastries. Even though I walked into Richoux just after two in the afternoon, I couldn't resist trying out at least one item from their renowned breakfast menu. My favourite was the phenomenal Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. I also tried the South Pacific Mussels dipped in a creamy garlic white sauce and the Fried Camembert, wrapped in beautiful candy shaped pastry bites and splashed with blueberry sauce. The Crème Brulée with the crispy burnt sugar top was simply heavenly. Chef Raef El Behery, who lived in France for over 17 years, says, “What's most important about us is that the dishes here are 100% authentic…the mussel sauce for example took around 12 hours of marinating to arrive to perfection.”

Of course Richoux's signature serving is their traditional teas - the finest specially brewed handpicked seasonal concoctions. My favourite was the Fruits of the Forest, a rich blend of strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. My dining partner opted for the relaxing Darjeeling champagne of teas. “It was so tranquilizing it put me in a temporary trance,” he enthused. Meanwhile their traditional English High Tea is an afternoon
treat that must be tried! From the hearty meals to the beautifully brewed teas, this really is a little piece of the British heartland right in the heart of CityStars, Cairo