PETALING JAYA, Nov 19 — When we walked into Nebu Arab Eatery, it was with an eager curiosity (and empty stomachs) to explore Egyptian cuisine. 

The eatery is a wonderland of Egyptian fare as well as familiar Arabic items like Mandi Rice and the upside down rice dish Maqluba, since the country straddles the Middle East and North Africa. 

Even pizza and pies, hawashi or stuffed pita and the now ubiquitous breakfast shakshouka can be found on the menu. 

The food scored big on flavours, tempting us to order way more than we usually eat, so much so we were practically rolling out of the eatery at the end of the evening. 

Koshari is the national dish of Egypt, found on the streets and inside homes, where everyone cooks up their version of this layered dish of rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, tomato sauce and the final flourish of fried onions. 

Its name comes from the Hindi word khichri, a dish built from rice and lentils. 

Each ingredient works its magic when combined together with the tomato sauce and the savoury sweet caramelised dark brown onions. 

One may think the onions look too dark or even burnt but they were not and didn’t give any bitterness to the dish. 

Either enjoy the carbohydrate heavy dish on its own for RM18 or add on protein from a choice of chicken, beef to Shawarma meats. 

You will find liver listed on the menu, a favourite of Egyptians but unfortunately, not many appreciate the offal; hence, they have taken it out of the menu. 

Koshari Meat (RM32) paired tender, pull apart grilled beef with the dish, making it a complete meal on its own. 

Rice dominates Egyptian food, where it’s combined with other carbohydrates like bread in Fattah, served with a traditional jute leaf stew known as Molokhiya, or even baked with milk and butter in Rozz Me’ammar.

Under the tagine series, you will find Nebu Signature Tagine (RM32) which is essentially Rozz Me’ammar, where Egyptian rice is cooked in milk and butter in a claypot and served piping hot. 

The dish may not look like much with the top dotted with black spots but once you put your spoon inside, you will taste this creamy rice that isn’t overly rich but extremely comforting. 

Be warned that one can easily finish the rice on its own especially when that creamy combination is served hot.

Also from the tagine series, the Kofta Dawood Pasha Tagine (RM40) offers beef kofta meatballs bubbling in a rich tomato sauce. 

The dish comes with plain Egyptian rice that is a little more starchy compared to our local rice but the savoury, tender meatballs also goes well with the baked rice too.

For dessert, we were tempted by the Umm Ali (RM25), their traditional sweet similar to a baked bread pudding but without any eggs.

When combined together, the pudding takes a custard like texture, drawing on its toppings of coconut flakes, raisins and chopped nuts for flavour. 

Using the same toppings, the Mouhalabiya (RM15) may look identical to Umm Ali  but the texture is more liquid as it’s essentially a thickened milk pudding. 

For those unfamiliar with this type of food, the owners will skillfully guide you towards their country’s specialties for you to savour. 

Nebu Arab Eatery

Lot G-15, The Place

Jalan PJU 8/5G, 

Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya

Tel: 011-64289426

Open: 12pm to 10pm. Closed on Tuesday

Facebook: @nebueatery

Instagram: @nebueatery_kl

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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