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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 June 2000 Issue No. 485 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 June 2000 Issue No. 485
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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 Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Wrong side of the border
By Injy El-KashefThe summer is back -- and so are we, at the Merryland. Great place for the whole family, never mind that the water is the colour of what you would find in the sink after a dinner party for 80. But the animals are all still alive and well (unless they have been replaced secretly), and that's more than anyone ever expected.
We first tried Fakhreddin, a Middle Eastern restaurant, but they don't operate until 6.30pm, so we headed for Tumbleweed. We were told that we could occupy the far more comfortable seats of the Steak House but still get the Tex-Mex food we were hoping for.
Who ever said there weren't enough Tex-Mex restaurants in Cairo? I did, and dead right I was. Tumbleweed shouldn't count for the reasons listed below.
A very eager waiter showed us to our seats and told us he would get the menu. He soon arrived with a photocopied sheet folded into something that looked like a paper plane from his school days. Quite honestly, it was rather disappointing and in no way justified its belonging to a Mexican restaurant, until we read Steak House at the top. When we clarified, he gave us a tired and impatient look one would hardly expect from a now privatised, upgraded and "in" -- not to mention expensive -- venue.
The Tumbleweed menu, on the other hand, requires a user's guide. Very long, complicated and tedious, it made ordering something of a stressful experience. Soon enough, a huge cocktail glass landed on the table, containing something that closely resembled a urine sample. At the bottom of the glass a small quantity of cough medicine was posing as (uncalled-for) mint syrup.
Now the maitre d' is a clever guy, and sensed our utter dismay at the course events had taken so far. He served us complimentary dips and a basket of nachos, and, when the waiter brought our food, for some reason we were grateful not to know, he gave him the kind of look I once got from my mother when, as a child, I told her guest how much fatter she looked now.
We had ordered a Mazattan (two beef or chicken enchiladas covered in sauce and melted cheese, served with Mexican rice and refried beans) and, for my vegetarian friend, a Vera Cruz (chili relleno, a mild green chili pepper stuffed with cheese, then breaded and fried with a cheese enchilada, rice and beans as above). It was awful: greasy, tasteless, stale... We really suffered. Now, it is possible that the confusion created by the seating arrangement may have affected the chef's performance and the waiter's attitude, but what we saw did not please us.
Desserts were much better: a Mexican Fried Ice-Cream was fine, and so was the Apple Chimi (sweet cinnamon, apple filling in a crispy flour tortilla topped with vanilla ice-cream) -- but then again, how wrong can anyone go with ice-cream?
The reason I did not mention the Guacamole Dip that served as an appetiser is that it did not taste of avocado in the first place (not that I doubt anything or anyone, I am merely stating simple facts) and -- I'll just say it straight -- seemed to have gone bad due to a sharp sting no other guacamole from the heart of Central America has ever produced.
An unappetising meal for LE132.
Tumbleweed, Merryland, 18 Al-Maahad Al-Ishtiraki St, Roxy, Heliopolis.
Tel: 4512313-17
