Before you even set foot through the gate of the Andrea Restaurant in Cairo, the smell of roasting meat wafts out. Peer through the smoke and you’ll see dozens of roasting chickens, lazily turning on spits. One man tends to the ever-burning coals that lend the chickens their distinct charcoal flavor. But it’s much more than just slow-roasting on an open flame that makes these birds famous. The cooks at Andrea marinate each chicken for 24 hours in a secret blend of herbs before they hit the spit. Beside the rotating chickens, a circle of women sits chatting and slapping the dough for tiny flatbreads. They slap the dough onto the inside of still more charcoal ovens and when they pull it out, it is puffed full of hot air. You can enjoy the hot bread, the meltingly tender chicken, and plenty of other Egyptian delights inside the huge dining room. Alison Cornford-Matheson traveled to Egypt courtesy of the Egypt Tourism Authority and Abercrombie & Kent. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Alison’s trip at the USTOA blog.
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Heavenly Chicken and Flatbreads at Andrea Restaurant, Cairo
Before you even set foot through the gate of the Andrea Restaurant in Cairo, the smell of roasting meat wafts out. Peer through the smoke and you’ll see dozens of roasting chickens, lazily turning on spits. One man tends to the ever-burning coals that lend the chickens their distinct charcoal flavor. But it’s much more than just slow-roasting on an open flame that makes these birds famous. The cooks at Andrea marinate each chicken for 24 hours in a secret blend of herbs before they hit the spit. Beside the rotating chickens, a circle of women sits chatting and slapping the dough for tiny flatbreads. They slap the dough onto the inside of still more charcoal ovens and when they pull it out, it is puffed full of hot air. You can enjoy the hot bread, the meltingly tender chicken, and plenty of other Egyptian delights inside the huge dining room. Alison Cornford-Matheson traveled to Egypt courtesy of the Egypt Tourism Authority and Abercrombie & Kent. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Alison’s trip at the USTOA blog.
