Perhaps it's the edgy teenager within us, or perhaps it's a simple truth, but the reality is that many of us yearn for simpler times, gazing back at what has been fondly dubbed the Golden Age, with a longing for the charm and unhurried pace of bygone decades.

If not for a lifetime, then El-Villa in Garden City offers ravenous passersby a time-transcendent shelter from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, one they can enjoy with a side of hefty spaghetti Bolognese or a classic Cordon Bleu.

Observing the neighbourhood since 1863, El-Villa stands testament to the Golden days of Cairo. Its walls carry - in-between miles of mounted historical collectibles - the secrets of the city, but only to those who listen closely.