Sequoia: The Exotic Mediterranean Cuisine
Every dinning place has its “hero,” whether it is a main dish, a setup, a particular drink, a location etc… Sequoia never falls short of dinners because of its location and the way it sets itself in the market. There is a bunch of elements –other than the food–which make it a desired destination:
1. You have to reserve.
2. No kids are allowed (at night) and an age restriction policy of 21 and above.
3. It offers shisha and alcoholic beverages (in non Islamic Calendar restricted days).
4. It has a fairly expensive minimum charge
These four main points alone insure that only a particular crowd and age group go to Sequoia, which in a way gives it that alluring vibe of exclusivity. Once that is established, the place then, has already set itself up in a very particular place in the market rendering it desirable. Aside from the technicalities, Sequoia’s “hero” is its location, which also acts as their bread and butter.
As a matter of fact, Sequoia gets away with not so exciting dishes, lame flavors, and sometimes frustrating service just because of it’s picturesque view, its high end chic design, and finally its consistency.
Consistency is not to be taken for granted when it comes to the food and beverage world. Even though Sequoia does not offer memorable dishes or tastes, you are guaranteed the same thing every time. Consistency along with an amazing view of the Nile overlooking Cairo from the edge of the Zamalek Island is enough to make the place successful.
Food, Beverages, and Service:
Whether it be in Ramadan or in any other regular day, Sequoia plays it safe with its food and beverages. They don’t claim “gourmet” dishes nor do they present ones. Over the years they have become known for their assortment of cold and hot mezza along with their grilled dishes. For a place that supposedly offers Egyptian, Lebanese and “International” cuisines their dishes are nothing out of the ordinary, if anything, they don’t taste authentic.
While, they do offer the traditional Sohour dishes such as Foul, Eggs, and Felafelall with different combinations, none of them are memorable or leave you craving for more.
Sohour Breakdown:
Cheese Mushroom Omelet:As simple as omelets look, they are not easy to execute. To be able to present a fluffy, juicy, and not too watery omelet is a sign of proper cooking. Sequoia’s omelet was appetizing with strings of melted cheese harmonically bringing together the eggs and the mushrooms, which were fresh and perfectly cooked. Overall, the eggs are a good choice.
Plain Foul (Beans): The beans were cooked well but had no character. Even plain foul could have a slight cumin and lemon zest kick but this one did not.
Sambousek: (Fried pastry stuffed with cheese) The pastry was crispy with a beautiful blond coating but the cheese stuffing was too plain and too little in quantity. One would have wished for more cheese or a more creative cheese mix to weigh against the thickness of the pastry interior.
Kobeba: ( Fried ground meatballs) What marks a tasty Kobeba from a bland one is the choice of herbs and spices in the ground beef. Seqouia’s Kobebaleaves you wondering if there were any spices used.
Hummus: (mashed chick peas blended with tahini, olive oil, salt, garlic, lemon juice). While the Hummus was fresh with lemon zest and olive oil, there was nothing special or memorable about it except that it was displayed in a non-traditional fashion like scoops of ice- cream lined in a long white porcelain dish. It looked neat and tasted normal.
Chicken Liver: The chicken liver dish was cooked with no fault but yet again the sauce was not special nor were there any added ingredients or garnish to make the dish look better or taste better.
Taamia with Sesame: With a crispy coating and a fluffy green mushy interior, the Tamia’stexture was very pleasing but the soul of the dish lies within its beans, vegetable and spices blend which also missed the mark.
Hummus El Sham: Of the most popular drinks in Ramadan is the Hummus El Sham ( Chick peas cooked in a juice of herbs and spices). That drink was definitely memorable as it had the perfect herb, lemony, spice infusion. It’s warm, soothing, and the added chili kick at the end makes it interesting and appetizing. This is a must try.
What is for sure unforgettable about Sequoia is their amazing ambiance, perfect choice of music (Arabic classics with a contemporary mix), cleanliness and setup of the venue, and finally their ability to maintain their standard, consistency, and reputation throughout the years.
Sequoia is your place to go for a guaranteed unswerving assortment of dishes, a nice surrounding crowd, and one of the most scenic views of Cairo a restaurant could offer.
Service: 3-5 Food: 3.5-5 Ambience and Locations: 5-5
Music: 5-5
