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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A doll's house
By Injy El-KashefI once had a very dear Indonesian friend. I remember that every time we were in her kitchen and saw the food being prepared I wondered a) why must every single dish feature an omelette? and b) why must the poor omelette be shredded beyond recognition? I reminisced about my childhood, my friend Lorna and the omelette on the way to the Madura at the Cairo Sheraton, expecting the food to force even more recollections out of the attic of my memory.
We walked in through a bamboo-panelled door and into a small, neat and inviting sitting area with what seemed like a rather low ceiling. We were seated in the smoking area, on chairs which were smaller than average in height, vaguely resembling what would be a cross between an adult's and a doll's chair. Soon the MD arrived, menus in hand and a heart set on showering us with advice. He thought: "Egyptian customers are not accustomed to such cuisine and are usually at a loss, so allow me to recommend..." Now, call me paranoid, but I seem to hear this line repeated at every restaurant that serves anything other than pizza. How could all Egyptians be placed in the same box, just like that, and how could any MD be presumptuous enough to believe that Egyptians are in particular need of culinary advice?
We began with a delicious Sop Ikan Laut Jawa (fish soup), in which floated small pieces of shrimp under a clear mushroom influence, and an order of Lumpia, described as Indonesian spring rolls. Quite honestly, the only way in which I found these particular spring rolls to be any different from their counterparts elsewhere in Asia was in the obtrusive presence of bean sprouts and the very hot sauce with which they are served.
The MD was almost about to say: "Hot sauce? This? Grow up, my good lady, this is child's play." He kindly explained at length that almost anything emerging from an Indonesian kitchen will reek of superhuman, unconditionally hot hot sauce -- the type of hot sauce only the Marquis de Sade would enjoy watching you eat. I took a long, suspicious look at my orange juice, brought it slowly to my mouth and gulped it down very courageously, expecting the worst to result from this act of martyrdom. Nothing. Only the good die young.
Our food was excellent. The MD had recommended the Ikan Sea Bass Jawa (pan-fried with spicy shrimps in mushroom sauce), and we are forever grateful. The mushroom sauce was particularly good (with the first taste, Lorna's entire room leaped to my mind in a flash), and will probably send us back to Madura very soon. The Semur Daging (aromatic slices of beef with soy sauce) was no less enticing. The beef was of the extremely tender variety and the sauce was based on a caramelised mixture of imported ingredients that produced a heart-warming effect. It is really important, however, that you specify "not hot" if you have any hope of tasting anything, as opposed to subjecting your taste buds to a natural local anaesthetic.
To conclude this exquisite meal, which came to around LE170, we ordered Pisnag Coreng (fried banana with honey), which was truly and fundamentally good. Unfortunately, the Lapis Delight (Indonesian layer cake) only looks good (like thin cross-sections of Mount Sinai), but barely tastes of anything at all.
Madura is definitely worth a visit, especially as it is the only place in Cairo specialising in exclusively Indonesian cuisine. However, if you insist on trying the hot sauce, go prepared with a family pack of tissues.
Madura, Cairo Sheraton, Galaa Square, Doqqi.
Tel: 3369700/9800
