Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2000 Issue No. 505
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

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Humiliating pleasures

By Injy El-Kashef

Of course, the name is terribly discouraging -- imagine a restaurant called Mawlay Omar. Neither of us ever mentioned the remote possibility of perhaps one day trying it out to the other without knowing what was at stake: one's self-image, a complete change of heart, possibly even divorce. The suggestion would always be followed by a few minutes of the most awkward silence, icy looks and a condescending sneer. We've both been through the humiliation but, in retrospect, we're grateful: what doesn't kill the relationship certainly makes it stronger.

Mawlay Omar is another one of the many food outlets opening on the Muqattam hills. Despite its awful name, however, this restaurant is one of the cleverer ones: it focused mainly on an interior sitting area, wise in the knowledge that winter eventually comes, even in Egypt, (although this little fact has become less and less of a certainty) and that the cool breeze enjoyed up on the hills during the summer will turn into a scary howling wind that will drive away even the youngest and craziest of clients. Basically, Mawlay Omar decided to be la fourmi while every other restaurant opted for la cigale; and, as La Fontaine predicted, it is the only one around that seems ready and happy to welcome the winter.

Speaking of welcomes, let us briefly comment on the waiter's costumes: we'll just say that Ramadan is around the corner and if they need any of those sad costumes they use for TV's period series they can just head straight to Mawlay Omar. They will find the baggy Aladdin pants, the not-matching waistcoats, and, of course, for the classic anachronistic touch, the modern tarboush (I can't remember if they wore weird slippers or just ugly shoes). It will not do, however, to remain on the dark side forever. This is a restaurant, after all, not a flying carpet, and food is of considerable importance.

Of course, just to spite us, they have to have perfectly edible, I'll even say enjoyable, food. Just as one has given free reign to a nice moaning session, the pleasure has to be interrupted by good food that does shut your mouth (that is, if you have good table manners).

One excellent shish tawouk sandwich (LE4) --very spicy, but not hot, and with fresh tomatoes and onions to tone things down; one very good shrimp sandwich (LE4) lacking only the moisture of some mayonnaise or 1000 Island sauce; a delicious quarter kilo of kebab (LE34 the kilo) lying on a bed of fresh parsley but without any bread covers at all; one portion rice with nuts (LE3), which looked greasier than it tasted and actually included the innovative addition of stir-fried green peppers; and finally grilled chicken (LE11.50 a whole chicken) that really seemed to have been seasoned with a "secret blend" (we cringed too, but that's what the menu said -- don't they all?). What else could we say? The food more than made up for any shortcomings on the aesthetic level. Besides, it looked as well as tasted good. So what if the waiters' appearance doesn't please us? As long as we don't have to eat them, they can do as they please. As only ice-cream was available for dessert, our bill came to LE31.

Oh, and another reason we bless Mawlay Omar is because they made a conscious decision, as stated on the menu, to protect the environment by refraining from serving shisha -- a great sacrifice considering how lucrative those clouds of smoke are. Mawlay Omar, 5167, St 17, Muqattam. Tel 507 7029

Mawlay Omar, 5167, St 17, Muqattam.
Tel 507 7029

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