What food variety can you expect at all-inclusive hotels in Egypt?
Based on 2 discussions with 1 participant · Last activity: 11 days ago
Based on 2 discussions with 1 participant · Last activity: 11 days ago
TL;DR
Egyptian all-inclusive hotels typically offer beef, chicken, fish, and seafood daily, with cooking methods rotating each day (grilled, fried, baked, stewed). The ingredient variety is consistent rather than radically different each day.
No pork is served on the buffet, but beef-based bacon is offered as a substitute — an unusual detail noted by guests.
Main dishes occasionally include rice-stuffed dolma and local sausages made with offal and grains; stewed meat and cutlets appear only rarely (a couple of times during a whole stay).
Besides whole grilled fish, fillet resembling pollock is served in sauce.
Simple, spice-free kids' food is available: porridge, pancakes, and soups served twice daily. However, in vegetable assortments, cauliflower and broccoli are sometimes more decorative than actually meant to be eaten.
Chefs grill fish fillets (e.g. sea bass) right in front of guests at an outdoor station — it gets snapped up so fast they barely keep up. Chicken and meat skewers are also cooked at the same open grill.
Vegetables are intentionally served al dente rather than undercooked. During one stay, shrimp were unavailable entirely, though crab and squid were offered — though the squid sometimes still had its skin/film not fully removed.
At the Italian à la carte restaurant, seafood risotto is available as a main course and was rated as a good option.
The Desert restaurant doesn't have nuggets (occasionally available in the kids' hall), but always offers something grilled, chicken in various sauces, and boiled chicken, plus beef, fish, and shrimp (not daily).
At dinner, seafood was tried twice — shrimp, crab, mussels, and squid — everyone enjoyed it; red fish was not tried.
Shrimp at dinner come two ways: in slightly sweet tartlets and grilled (handed out piece by piece). Boiled shrimp are very large and meaty, bigger than premium shrimp at home; grilled ones taste similar to boiled but are messier to eat.
More recent reports suggest the fish and seafood selection is broader than earlier comments indicated: shrimp may be served every other day, and seafood appeared at least three times over several days. Reported items include sea bass, mullet, occasional trout, lightly salted fish, grilled salmon, octopus, and even tuna presented as a whole carved dish.
Beyond the usual chicken and beef, newer comments mention extra meat options such as turkey, quail, lamb/lamb leg, whole roast chicken, beef brisket, and beef in curry sauce. Grill items have included lamb kofta and liver.
Food is spread across different restaurants — beef in one, fish in another, squid in a third — which is inconvenient with young children. Fruit in the main restaurants is limited and sometimes served whole, uncut. Coffee is highly praised. Restaurants mentioned include Kaiser, Castello, Columbus, Asiatik, and Kulina.
Grilled crabs are served at dinner in one of the restaurants.
The Asian restaurant serves chicken in sweet-and-sour sauce and chicken teriyaki. Tom yam soup is described as somewhat thin. Side dishes include brown rice and vegetables. Banana and apple in honey are noted among the desserts.
Freshly squeezed juices are available daily. The fish resembles pangasius. Shrimp are served approximately every three days. Lamb is available but not every day.
Soups this season are milder and more familiar in taste — in previous years they were spicy and unusual. Sauces and good cheeses are still lacking. Among desserts, honey-based ones stand out; others are not to everyone's taste.
Duck occasionally appears on the menu. Across the hotel's five restaurants there is always something to choose from: chicken in various preparations, beef, seafood, patties, lula-kebab, pasta, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and salads. No lobster.
À la carte restaurants are well-regarded: the Indian restaurant is noted for fish, the Italian for meat. Rolls are available as a starter, tom yam soup, and squid with shrimp as a main. For children, burgers with fries and ice cream for dessert are an option.