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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 June 1999 Issue No. 434 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 June 1999 Issue No. 434
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Living Travel Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Hack and splatter
By Andrew SteeleI had been at a business meeting at the World Trade Centre, so I decided upon a spot of lunch while I waited for the driver. The first venue I encountered was the ground floor outlet of the Great Steak and Potato Company, tastefully decked out in neon blue and shocking pink. Previously a franchise for Thank God It's Yoghurt or some such, its renovation into a "quick sandwich" affair has apparently been a rousing success. Provided one bases one's success measures on seats full, that is.
It all happens on the culinary equivalent of a production line, whereby one pays one's money and then proceeds to various supply points for the three staples of the menu -- sandwiches, fries and drinks, to be precise. I, unfortunately, wandered straight past drinks, and had to back-track into a barrage of women when I thought I had finished.
To iterate: first one chooses and pays where it cleverly says "Pay Here". Then stop at the close-by Coke dispenser and order your drink. Next comes the interesting bit.
Your steak or chicken order is tossed from a cooler onto a hot plate by chef number one. He then goes on to surround it with your onion, pepper or mushroom add-ons. It is then set about with a couple of metal spatulas with great vigour, and hacked into manageable morsels. Chef number one now slithers it across to Chef number two, strategically positioned, next in line on the hot plate. Chef number two tosses it about a bit and gives it more pummelling. The meat or fowl is now starting to brown and sizzles nicely, so it is set to the side of the hot plate where Chef number three begins. He slaps on a slice or two of cheese, which is happily freshly cut, and not of the nasty cheese slice variety. He splits a bun and dollops it in. One realises one has forgotten one's cheese fries, which arrive presently, courtesy of the fry-girl. They are branded as cheese fries, presumably because of the pot of that funny American liquid cheese that accompanies them. They are rather over-crisp and brown, although thickly cut. Regardless; if you overcook fries, the insides turn into white, fluffy stuff that simple does not evoke memories of potatoes. The sandwich, on the other hand, was rather good. A Regular Philly Super Steak is what I had ordered, purported to come with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. The mushrooms must have been on holiday. The meat was wonderfully tender, very thinly shredded, and topped with the aforementioned cheese. Lettuce and tomato are optional. Other items available include chicken or veggie versions of the above, along with a couple of cold sandwiches and The Great Steak and Potato Company's patented Gyro Wrap. This apparently contains Gyro sauce and is served in an unleavened loaf. It's all really rather akin to an American take on a shawerma shop, and none the worse for it. A particularly American thing, cheese steak. So if you are in the vicinity and fancy a greasy treat, pop in for a bite. Lunch hits base at about LE12.
The Great Steak and Potato Company, Ground Floor, The World Trade Centre, Corniche Al-Nil, Bulaq Tel: 5804011
