There is no business in this country that is as flourishing as the food business. New restaurants and concepts open up almost every week, and being the food adoring people that we are, it’s nothing but exciting. So when we were invited to eat at The Stonegrill Steakhouse, we didn’t think twice.
The Stonegrill Steakhouse is located in Porto Cairo. Facing the center of the (non-working) fountain, it makes for the perfect outdoor eating experience (once the fountain starts working).
As soon as we sat down we were welcomed by some complimentary bread and a solid, albeit a tad salty, olive tapenade. After consulting the comprehensive menu, we decided on the Stuffed Mushrooms (29.99 LE) for an appetizer, the Risotto Fruiti di Mare (69.99 LE) and the Fillet Mignon (85.99 LE) for mains, and the Classic Cheesecake (24.99 LE) and the Brownie Twist (26.99 LE) for dessert.
The Stuffed Mushrooms contained a cheese mix and were deep fried. The cheese mix hit the spot and the blue cheese did not overpower the mix in any way. It was also served with some honey mustard sauce which looked out of place at first, but its sweetness complimented the saltiness of the blue cheese perfectly. On the down side, the mushrooms themselves cried for seasoning and were soggy from underneath, even the over-the-top garnish was unnecessary.
After an appetizing starter, we couldn’t wait to dig into our mains. The Fillet Mignon was tender, cooked to perfection, and served on a marble slab that kept it hot and sizzling during the entire course of eating, although we are used to fillet mignons being twice the thickness of the one served in The Stonegrill.
The Risotto Fruiti Di Mare, however, did not have to do anything with a true Italian risotto. It didn’t have the thick, hearty combination of starchy Italian rice and stock that risotto is ever-so-famous for. Instead, it was just short grain rice cooked in a tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese (bizarre), with bits of shrimps and calamari here and there.
Having said that, it was tasty nonetheless, but the dish’s name should seriously be changed if they want to avoid the disappointment of their Italian-cuisine-loving customers.
The highlight of our meal was the Brownie Twist, although there was no twist whatsoever. The brownies were just how we like them to be: thick, gooey and super chocolaty.
The Classic Cheesecake, if slightly curdled, was very tasty and the strawberry sauce brought some much needed freshness to the dish.
As an overall experience, we were happy but not blown away. The staff’s incredible attentiveness really impressed us and the time interval between each dish landing to our table was just right. On the other hand, the presentation of all the dishes could be better and the names of some of them should be reconsidered.
We would definitely recommend The Stonegrill if you want tasty food, with good prices and a menu that will satisfy everyone. However, if you’re looking for an authentic or a unique experience, you should look elsewhere.
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss our review of Gaby’s at CityStars.
