People usually ask me, “What’s your favorite restaurant?” There are a few I really like, but it’s very difficult to give an answer because it’s like choosing between all-you-can-eat or free Wi-Fi; you just can’t. The questions should be, “Who makes your favorite carbonara?” or “Which restaurant serves the best pizza?” If you ask me these questions, I’d answer you in a heartbeat. But i can say that, by far, the best meal I ever had in Cairo was last Wednesday. At S.Lounge.

My flatmate and I were invited to Maadi’s newest eatery that turned out to be the most exciting food experience in recent memory. S.Lounge is here and it’s not going anywhere. As owner Shahd el-Abd welcomed us to her humble abode, I asked her the one question that had been bugging me since I received the invitation: “Why is it called S.Lounge?” She replied, “Because it’s my lounge. It’s Shahd’s Lounge.”

“But there’s more to it than that,” she continued. “I gave it that name because I didn’t want it to fall under one specific food category, I love all kinds of food, and that’s what my lounge is all about.”

As I went through the menu, not only did it have the healthiest and freshest sounding items, it was also the sassiest. They had a pizza called “Princess,” and a seafood dish with the name “Fisher Man Whorf” (I see what you did there).

I was about to order drinks for myself and my flatmate when Shahd stopped us and said, “Trust me and get Road 9.” THEY HAD A DRINK CALLED ROAD 9! How was I supposed to resist such a drink? Minutes later it arrived to my table and my taste buds exploded. I asked her what was in it and she went, “It’s actually just guava and mint, but it’s fresh guava. We do everything on the spot here; food, drinks, you name it.”

I also ordered a chicken tikka wrap, while my flatmate got pasta carbonara, and as we waited, sipping on Road 9, I decided to explore the place. It was way bigger than I thought. The place had a backyard area which they called "Antakha" that had, I kid you not, tables with fireplaces in them. They're planning to get marshmallows soon as well, for the full antakha experience.

The food was consistently fast and delicious. The chicken was cooked to perfection and the sauce's creaminess hit just the right notes. I devoured my meal in seconds. Shahd came over to our table after we were done, and she didn't even need to ask us if we enjoyed it because she could see it all over our faces. So, instead, she invited us to S.Lounge's Grand Opening, which will be on October 3. Mark your calendars, Maadi-ans and Cairenes, because I'm definitely marking mine.