Salsa Mista's Italian Classics Have a Hold on Heliopolis

Bringing some of Italy’s finest creations to yin Salah Salem’s Meraki Complex,  Salsa Mista is a restaurant that doesn’t only dare to tackle Italian classics, but dares to do so with its own little twist.

The decor, the music, the general ambiance; they all come together to offer a unique, welcoming Italian atmosphere, but the name certainly raised some questions.

The owner, Mohamed El Shouni, likes to do a bit travelling around Italy, and recalls a particular moment, as a waiter brought him pasta with white sauce. “I don’t like white sauce,” El Shouni tells #SceneEats. “So he suggested making it ‘salsa mista’ [sauce mix], then I liked the idea.”

What’s really unique about Salsa Mista is that they often tailor the plate towards the guest’s palate. Say, you fancy a pizza but you’re not into tomato sauce – on with the beetroot sauce! 

“Ask the chef which is something outside the menu,” adds El Shouni. “We customised the Italian concept with a different sauce. With risotto, for example, some people don’t like it with extra cream, so the chef creates it using shrimp or pesto. We also have pumpkin pizza with pumpkin, if guests want something .”

What Salsa Mista prides itself on is its rather un-Italian Cordon Bleu, usually served with fettuccine pesto. Other highlight dishes include the oh so carnivorous ‘Three Dimensions’ platter, which features one piece of beef covered in mushroom sauce, one with blue cheese, and one with white cheese. Ultimately, the restaurant offers a range of international dishes, too, but once you’re immersed into the sights and sounds of Italy, you’ll feel Italian yourself.