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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 April 1999 Issue No. 424 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 April 1999 Issue No. 424
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A touch of class
By Andrew SteeleI had, for many years, been meaning to cross the portals of the Egon Ronay-vaunted Santa Lucia in Alexandria. So during my last trip, when asked by Amanda, my gracious hostess, where one wanted to whet one's whistle and chow down, it was here that I plumped for. Outside it is all lead-light windows and wood panelling. Inside, the theme continues with lush draperies and heraldic wainscoting to boot. And, it has to be said, an awful lot of wood. We were seated promptly by a chipper young sort, bedecked in turn-of-the-century ma”tre d' garb and asked if we would like to see the wine list. We demurred, and ordered a brace of Stellas to quench the thirst that we had worked up indulging in a pre-dinner promenade.
The menu is a lustrous leather-bound affair in Arabic and French, boasting many a fine dish to tempt the palate. Amanda declined a starter, preferring to save herself for the main course, but Mohamed and myself, always on the look-out for a super soup, elected consommé a l'indienne and potage aux champignons respectively to ease us towards the entrées.
My potage was a thick and flavourful number, swimming with fungal delights and laced with a heady herb or two. It came in an elegant stainless steel tureen, and was ladled into my fine bone china soup plate very deftly. Mohamed's consommé, on the other hand, was served in a large teacup and was rather innocuous lentil soup, perked up with a whiff of curry powder. As the evening progressed, it became clear that I was, for some reason, the only diner in the restaurant who was in receipt of silver service. It must be my winning smile.
Onto the main courses then. After much deliberation, I decided that since one was beside the seaside, it would be foolhardy to choose anything but a dish of its fruits. Amanda agreed with me, her non-meat eating nature guiding her choice. Mohamed decided to be contrary and order chicken livers, which came in a rich herb sauce and were proclaimed delicious.
Amanda's spaghetti aux fruits de la mer was a truly gargantuan platter, making her rightly thankful that she had reneged on the starter. It was piled to the eyeballs with fabulously fresh morsels of shrimp, squid, mussel and whitebait with a light creamy sauce and nicely al dente pasta. She did well to get as far through it as she did. To lick the platter clean would indeed have smacked of gluttony.
My crevettes à l'indienne were again served to me from a fancy tureen on the establishment's finest Royal Dalton. Large, plump shrimps from the Med, in a creamy curry sauce with lots of fresh coriander. A mound of nicely buttered rice accompanied and both were just the ticket.
A very civilised evening, all in all, with exemplary service and smashing grub. The next time you are stuck for a dining venue in Alexandria, wend your way up Safiya Zaghlul Street from Ramleh bus station and there, complete with its Routier award, you will find the Santa Lucia.
Dinner for three with three Stellas came to a doable LE135. Salty sea air available on demand.
Santa Lucia, 40 Safiya Zaghlul Street, near Ramleh Station, Alexandria
Tel (03) 4820372
