Cairo On

On Saturday, I went for an early (8:30 am) brunch at Egyptian spot Maha's. Partly because I'm an early riser, but mostly this busy diner has a reputation for long lines. In fact, by 9, the waiting list had stretched to 30 minutes.

The tiny space can seat 23, but only because tables were squeezed into every nook. You accepted the crowding, since it feels like being in the warm sun-room of a well-traveled and charming friend. This familial atmosphere wasn't far from reality as the main workers were the son, daughter, and matriarch of the Maha clan.

I opted for the Shakshuka ($12) and a side order of Foole ($6). The traditional Shakshuka is a concoction of poached eggs and tomatoes, Baha's version was the African style of scrambled eggs with sautéed tomatoes. In any case, it was soft, fragrant and made tasty mouthful with the pita-like balady bread. Possibly the best egg dish in the city. The foole, a soup made from fava beans, tomatoes, and onions, was equally filling and had wonderful subtle flavour. I came the following week-end for the date grilled cheese ($12) which was even better. This date-stuffed sandwich was closer to a sweet French toast than your typical grilled cheese. Every bite was a revelation.

Maha's deserve its loyal, and patient, customers. One caveat, on my second visit, I was treated to a snobby barista scenario. I had never encountered anything like it and had thought that "scolding coffee artiste" only existed in hipster parodies like Portlandia. So maybe stick to tea if your patience for arrogant servers is low.