Nomadic dani

If Egypt had a top comfort food, Koshari would be it and I had my first proper bowl at the legendary Koshari Abou Tarek, a restaurant only serves one dish and is named among 100 most iconic restaurants around the world.

At first glance, it looks chaotic: rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, crispy onions, spicy tomato sauce, garlic vinegar – all layered into one unapologetic bowl of goodness. It doesn’t try to be pretty. It doesn’t try to be subtle. And one bite in, it makes perfect sense. So much sense that yes i did go in for a second bowl.

Koshari isn’t fancy food. It’s everyday food. Soulful food. The kind you eat surrounded by locals, standing or sitting elbow to elbow, watching plates fly out of the kitchen at impossible speed whilst downing an Egyptian cola. At Abou Tarek, the energy alone tells you you’re in the right place. With a constant flow of people getting a table for 7 proved to take a while but not impossible. This restaurant is massive, with various floors and an interesting decor with chandeliers and plastic ducks. To be honest I am here for it.

What makes Koshari special is how honest it is. Every ingredient has a purpose. You wouldn’t think it would all come together so well but it does! Every spoonful is customisable – you choose your heat, your garlic kick, your balance. It comes deconstructed and its fun to make it to your liking. It’s so filling, comforting and exactly what you want after a long day of navigating Cairo.

There’s something grounding about eating the most local dish in the most local way, in a place that’s been doing it right for decades. No frills. No fuss. Just a bowl that feeds both your hunger and your experience of the city.

Egypt will wow you with pyramids, temples, and history on a massive scale.
But sitting down to a bowl of koshari at Abou Tarek?
That’s how you really taste the country. 🇪🇬