Travel to China, India and Japan or All of Them at the Same Time With TAO

In the heart of New Cairo stands an authentic experience that will have you transported to a deliciously banging China, India and Japan...or all of them at the same time. We speak of course of the magnificent TAO, located inside the gorgeously decorated Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo hotel. Invited to try their newest menu, we grabbed our favourite utensils (chopsticks, mostly) and headed over to this authentically Pan-Asian culinary hub.

 

 

 

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From the first step through TAO's doors, patrons will instantly feel like they left Egypt and landed in an upscale restaurant that's totes, again, not in Om El Donia. From the eye-catching bamboos that were beautifully erect across the eatery to the many different stations (from the teppanyaki to the dim sum areas and more) that showcase how versatile TAO is, we felt surrounded by a culture that promises an authentic experience.

Beginning the meal with an assortment of Instagrammble and mouth-watering starters, we were immediately floored by the unique flavour combinations. Among our favourites were the Shanghai soup that comes with shrimp wontons. Also providing a cherished food memory was TAO's onion bahji, alongside the assortment of expertly wrapped dumplings, had us feeling like we were living our best Pan-Asian life -- which, in all honesty, was a 100% true story.

 

 

 

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Continuing on our culinary trip, TAO stepped up, delivering dishes that completely mesmerised us, not only because of how they tasted but because of their mere existence. Chef Leo Samson, the mastermind behind everything sushi at the establishment, have conjured up a new dish, creation, work of art, calling it taco sushi. The rest was history. It demands to be not just eaten but experienced. Imagine rice wrapped inside nori weed that looks like tacos and is topped with what dreams are made of. That is all we need to say about the instantly iconic dish. The sushi, on the other hand, is otherworldly. If you happen to be a stan, order the Hiroshima and thank us later.

Stuffed, we discussed skipping dessert; that was until we were advised that the experience wouldn’t be complete without something deliciously sweet to cleanse the palette. Enter the baked banana ice cream served with fresh seasonal fruit and ice cream. Having never tried such a dish, we were intrigued and our palettes pleased as the coating provided a wonderful contrast in texture to the creamy sugary coma within. We also went a little nuts and paired it with a matche creme brulee that sounds just as glorious as you'd think it is.

 

 

 

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Throughout the dinner, we contemplated a move to China, India and Japan, but realised we likely wouldn’t know how to order these dishes because we're horrible at languages that aren't Arabic, English, Frano or Emoji (yes, that's a language). Faced with the sad reality, we took solace in the fact that any time we get the hunger to travel to the Far East, we could simply just head to TAO and fool our taste buds into thinking we’re there.