Nearing the End Clinical Rotations (+food reviews)

It’s been an eventful past few months, to say the least. Here’s a quick recap of the last rotations and some overdue food reviews. We sat our ENT exam in March, after a long Covid break that postponed it for two months. Medical school resumed and I flew back to Egypt, feeling like I’d just come back from an unauthorised holiday. We were both lucky and unlucky enough to have started the year with the lighter rotations. Though this also meant that we’d be ending the year with ophthalmology, forensics and toxicology, alongside revising for finals.

Yeah, not so fun.

Thankfully, the ENT exam went well. The restaurant we decided to go to afterwards was unfortunately not up to par.

Kimbo Restaurant and Cafe

They had excellent customer service, the food however was average at best. I’m willing to give another branch a chance – I do believe in redemption and the potential of pasta. Though I must say, their salted caramel latte was fabulous. Nothing like a good coffee to make up for everything.

Community Medicine Rotation #3

Spectra

New rotation, new restaurant? No? Ah well. Hangry and indecisive, we took our chances with Spectra and it did not disappoint. Comfort food on a plate.

The dim lighting inside doesn’t do the pictures justice and I’m no food blogger with the energy to edit?. It was tastier than it looked. Though I did struggle with the slightly undercooked lasagna. I’ve since gone back a few times and tried more items on their menu and have not been let down.

Al-Awdah Restaurant

We grabbed breakfast after our mini-quiz at a Palestinian restaurant called “Al-Awdah”. I’m not someone who can find the appetite to eat something on exam mornings. I find the idea alone nauseating, but maybe that’s just my exam anxiety.

Read more about Medical School in Egypt here.

It was my first time trying Palestinian food, so the waiters kindly explained the menu and recommended various dishes to us. It was all delicious. I also loved the name of the restaurant, “The Return”, which I find even more heart-warming now, considering the recent deterioration of events in Palestine. The restaurant is affordable and definitely worth a visit!

Ophthalmology Rotation #4

Caffé Casa

We had ophthalmology throughout the entire month of Ramadan. It was a heavy and unsettling time as we watched what was happening in Palestine. Eid came and I had no plans to do anything, but my friends surprised me at home and with one hour to the 9 pm curfew, we decided on the newly opened Caffé Casa.

I had already eaten, so I ordered some tiramisu and an unexpectedly, never-ending, very tall vanilla frappuccino. I did give the pasta a try (huge pasta fan, if you couldn’t already tell) and it was fresh and very flavourful. Usually, whenever we order different kinds of pasta at restaurants, the sauce just tastes the same for all of it. The pasta itself might be the only “different” thing. So this was pretty good. The atmosphere was also fantastic, friendly staff and their plates; I wanted to take them home with me..

“We Move..” is the motto:

Enab

The ophthalmology end round exam was not so great. A lot of us were in bad spirits afterwards, as the exam was not what we expected at all. But we move..

..to another restaurant. Haha. Because ultimately, one must not sulk for too long.

I had the potato souflé which was the Lebanese version of Shepherd’s pie. I didn’t personally like it, but the ‘fatet chicken’, ‘lahem bil ajin’ and ‘batata harra’ were all amazing. The staff were also super friendly and accomodating. For what felt like the worst exam of medical school so far, I think there’s always more to be grateful for. Like grabbing lunch with friends I, unfortunately, don’t see that often.

Read more about Medical School in Egypt here.

The Takeaway

*Pun not intended*

And that’s that. I tried to list most of the new places I tried during these last three rotations. Some were great and others not so much, but it’s the overall experiences that matter. Sometimes a place is a lot more meaningful because of the memories you create, in spite of the “mediocre” food it may offer. You may gather with the people you love at a regular spot, and yes it might not be fine dining or Michelin-star worthy, but the food is good and the company, even better.

Anywho, here’s to the last rotation of the year, forensics and toxicology – praying it will be kind :’)