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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 February - 3 March 1999 Issue No. 418 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 February - 3 March 1999 Issue No. 418
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Camp as a row of tents
By Andrew SteeleThe last time I ventured into Deals 2 in Mohandessin, it was to sample the dubious delights of Pavarotti, the Italian restaurant it shared the space with. Pavarotti has met a timely demise and the space had been remade / remodelled into a much superior affair. Deals 2, like its Zamalek sibling, is now also very much a bar that sells food rather than a restaurant with a bar at the back, and all the better for it. There are several seating areas to choose from; intimate booths left over from the days of Pavarotti proper, high tables with bar stools, and a sumptuous lounge area with leopard-print upholstery. The lighting is low and the music pumping. The most startling thing about the place is the apparently ad hoc display of the Deals art collection; a cornucopia of knick-knacks and prints, most wonderfully garish, surrounded by the swirling golden and green metal work that is the interior design. The metal arms of the light fittings bend and point around the bar area.
After sinking luxuriantly into the very squashy sofas of the lounge, we decided that we couldn't see our companions on the other side of the table and that cushions should be called in to add height. This accomplished, we scanned the Deals menu with an eye on supper. The menu remains the same; a generous selection of bar food fare, topped up with a bone fide entrée or two for good measure.
Deals' burgers are always a moist choice, so I plumped for the cheesy variety. Maggie threw caution to the wind and chose the Chili Con Carne, while Terry elected the rather austere dining experience that makes up the cheese platter. A side plate of fried shrimps served as nibbles.
Drinks and popcorn were first to arrive, with the promptness and efficiency that fair permeates the place. Service with a smile to boot. The shrimps followed soon after, with a small pot of tartar sauce to see them on their way. They were soon history.
To the mains: first on the field was the much vaunted burger. As good as expected, it nestled inside a large, fresh, bun with actual proper cheese to crown it, as opposed to the plastic slice variety. French fries and a garnish kept it company. The Chili Con Carne was a strange affair. Surrounded by a moulded ring of rice, it had meat and beans and a savoury sauce, but nary a whiff of chili. Still, Maggie pronounced it very worthy, and proceeded to wolf it down. The cheese platter was just what it claimed to be, a pedestrian selection, but well garnished with leaves and pickles and, as far as Terry was concerned, just the ticket.
In conclusion, I like Deals 2. All the fun of Deals 1 without the claustrophobia and elbow jiggling. The food is just as good too, and so are the same reasonable prices. Pub dinners for three with two Meisters and a Gin Fizz came to a happy-go-lucky LE90, but in such gloriously camp surroundings, we felt compelled to linger on for much longer than this column has space to document.
Deals 2 Gol Gamal Street, off Gam'at Al-Duwal Al-Arabiya Street, Mohandessin
Tel 3057255
