Matbakh Yusria already had us at their motto, long before we tried this concept’s food. The famous Egyptian saying “تحلى و تروء بكرة “which roughly translates to “tomorrow will be better and sweeter” is so emblematic of everything we know and love about Egypt. Kind hearted humans, a deep rooted sense of hospitality, some of the best beaches in the world (we see you, Sa7el!), a rich historic cultural heritage, and of course, the food!
We are so enamored by everything that Matbakh Yusria has to offer, but before we delve into the delicious options on their menu, let’s get to know the wonderful woman who makes it all possible, Elsett (lady) Yusria herself! For fans of the local culinary consultancy Prepline, it would be safe to assume that this concept will be a hit, because let’s face it, it’s hard not to fall in love with Egyptian food. But this project is just a teensy bit extra special and personal, as Elsett Yusria also happens to be Prepline founder Essa Behbehani’s mom. So, in combining her name with the arabic word for kitchen, matbakh, this authentic Egyptian concept was born.
Currently, Matbakh Yusria solely exists as a catering and delivery only concept. Yusria was encouraged by her local community and peers to spread the love through food. Given how open Kuwait is to indulging in different food experiences, the good people at Prepline saw how people would fall in love with Yusria’s food whenever they tried it, and they wanted to share that with everyone in Kuwait.
Born in Egypt in 1950, Yusria got married in the 70s and relocated to Kuwait to start a brand new life with her family. During that time, her culinary prowess grew with her constant kitchen experiments. She perfected Egyptian street food classics like Koshari and Hawawshi, and in addition to a few more specialties, it was time for Yusria’s famous dishes to make an appearance on Kuwait’s culinary landscape. Her food is all about bringing the true and authentic taste of Egypt to the comfort and warmth of your home-made fresh daily with lots of love.
A quick glimpse on the dedicated Instagram account @matbakh.yusria does an amazing job of introducing this awesome lady, and we managed to pull her away from the kitchen for a few minutes to chat about the concept.
Food plays a huge role in building a dialogue of inclusion and togetherness, and given the polarizing chatter that we have recently seen on our social feeds, we really feel that Matbakh Yusria is creating the space for positive dialogue that is uniting people for their love of Egyptian food. Yusria echoes this sentiment adding, “And what better way to spread love and peace than breaking bread? We’ve dedicated our Instagram account to communicate the magic and true essence of Egypt, by highlighting its rich culture and history that inspires us each and every day.”
We asked Yusria about the best-selling dishes coming out of her catering kitchen, and without a shadow of a doubt she immediately says, “The Kushari of course! Our Atayef are also incredible, and can be enjoyed year-round contrary to popular belief that they solely should be eaten during Ramadan.” For those of you who may not know the history of Kushari, it is Egypt’s most recognizable street food, with every Egyptian claiming that their local Kushari cart or shop is better than the next. Discover a daring combo of Middle Eastern, European and Indian flavors, as this dish is an amalgamation of lentils, elbow pasta, short-grain rice, vermicelli noodles and or chickpeas in some renditions, spicy tomato sauce, spiced Dukkah sauce and finished with crispy fried onions.
Other go-to Egyptian classics that are as inspired by Egyptian street food like Kushari also include the Hawawshi, which is essentially a spiced, meat stuffed pitta that’s grilled to perfection and is served with Hummus. Yusria also delivers perhaps what is Egypt’s most prized dish, Molokheya, served with the thicker and starchier Egyptian short grain rice and vermicelli with chicken.
Not only is this special Molokheya (known as Jute’s mallow to the West) plant ultra nutritious, the authentic Egyptian preparation includes the insanely delicious combination of minced garlic and coriander fried up in ghee and then added to the steaming pot of the minced Molokheya leaves cooked in an animal broth. Yusria goes through all this effort to replicate the real deal experience of classic Egyptian dishes, and the result shows in each and every plate.
Yusria has future plans to add more offerings, as the team is always looking for ways to innovate in the kitchen. They hope to introduce more of her signature dishes like Om Ali, Hamam mahshi (Egyptian classic stuffed pigeons) and maybe more mahashis (stuffed veggies), and we can’t wait to try them!
Place your orders by calling at 2228 1296/9407 8183, WhatsApp on 9407 8183, order via Deliveroo or swing by to pick up from their central kitchen located in Ardhiya. Follow @Matbakh.Yusria on Instagram for the latest updates on food and delivery.
