Words by Michelle Tiu
Photography by Waldo Katigbak
Graphics by Andie Poblete
Tucked in the quiet part of Makati, Eat Like a Pharaoh boasts of giving its diners a unique experience on Mediterranean food at an affordable price. Not only does its food capture the stomach of diners, its how-it-started story will also surely melt their hearts.
Co-owned by Daisy and her Egyptian husband, Adam, Eat Like a Pharaoh is a product of love and hard work as they went against the odds and challenged themselves to start a business close to home.
Quite funnily, one of the reasons as to why Eat Like a Pharaoh started is that Adam had quite a food culture shock when he first came to the Philippines. Mediterranean food are also marked at an expensive prize.
Hence, Eat Like a Pharaoh was born.
To ensure food quality, the owners have invited an Egyptian chef to help curate the menu. Rest assured, Eat Like a Pharaoh’s food are carefully prepared with love so as to give its diners a unique gastronomic experience as its way of sharing the Egyptian culture with Filipinos. At the same time, its huge serving size makes your every pesos spent count!
Egyptian Green Salad, P99
Before anything else, the best way to start a meal is with appetizers. Recommended by the house, this version of salad is perfect for sour lovers and for those who are not huge fans of leafy salads. Not only is the Egyptian Green Salad healthy, it also doubles as the secret to exciting the appetite so you’ll get to eat more food!
A personal favorite from Eat Like a Pharaoh is their rice. Cooked with a secret recipe, it not only is rich in flavor from the herbs and spices cooked with it, it also has a smooth, soft consistency that makes it a good combination to any dish. Thankfully, this rice is served with every main dish at Eat Like a Pharaoh!
Shish Taouk, P189
For those who needs vegetables to accompany their every meal, this one’s for you! Shish Taouk composes of marinated grilled chicken with grilled onions, tomatoes, and bell pepper.
It also comes with bread, eggplant salad, and home-made humus. You get the best of both worlds with this dish!
Egyptian Kofta, P189
A personal favorite, the Egyptian Kofta is perfect for those who are seeking for something to fill up that empty stomach. The main attraction, 2 pieces of grilled spiced ground beef, is served with tahini sauce, which is made from sesame. The beef is tender and grilled to perfection with the secret being the timing in cooking.
Rosemary Chicken, P189
Perfect for the more health conscious eater, this dish’s main focus is its roasted chicken leg quarter cooked with the ancient Mediterranean herb seasoning. This dish can be lighter to digest as the chicken is soft and moist.
With a serving size this big, you’ll surely walk out of the restaurant with a happy stomach and a smile on your face!
Penne Dawood Pasha, P159
Eat Like a Pharaoh also offers a unique version of the Penne pasta. The Dawood Pasha’s base is fresh tomato sauce and honey mustard.
It is then topped with a lot of cheddar cheese, parsley, and spiced beef meat balls. This dish’s serving size is suitable for sharing.
Zabado/Yogurt Classic, P79; Zabado/Yogurt Fruit, P99
Greatly inspired from a famous drink in Egypt, Eat Like a Pharaoh’s yogurt drinks are an A game. Its creamy texture lets you know for sure that they are not compromising quality for lower price. As a bonus, it can be a non-spicy food lover’s best friend to combat the burning sensation on the tongue after a spicy-flavored meal.
Turkish Coffee, P69
An interesting thing about Eat Like a Pharaoh is that the team does their best to source authentic Mediterranean products locally as groceries carrying these products have not boomed as much and are not as common yet in the Philippines. One of these products is the Turkish coffee served hot in a small cup. It has a bittersweet taste perfect for those who need that quick dose of caffeine. Luckily, my team and I were able to catch the owners of the restaurant who prepared some for us to taste while we exchanged stories.
If you’re in for some food adventure, don’t forget to visit Eat Like a Pharaoh! Maybe you’ll find the owners there and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two about Egypt and its culture and Mediterranean food. Now I’m even more inspired to someday travel to Egypt!
