11 - 17 January 2001
Issue No.516
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 11 - 17 January 2001 Issue No.516 |
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Reception heights
When one of your best friends, a great eater, is in Cairo from Paris, what do you do? You take her on a restaurant review, of course. Where do you go? To one of the best places in town: the Conrad Hotel. The BBQ Terrace not operating in the winter, we dined at the Felucca Terrace. Called the hotel for reservations and, more importantly, to ask a basic question: "Is dinner accompanied by any entertainment?" The negative answer gave us the green light -- there is nothing more frustrating than attending a show you do not wish to see, simply because the noise makes it impossible to conduct the conversation you were absolutely looking forward to.
The Felucca Terrace, although a very serious, overpriced restaurant indeed, is extremely casual and informal in atmosphere. Maybe because there is no atmosphere: the tables are laid out in what would have otherwise served as a mere corridor overlooking the reception area. Of such hotels, one would be cynical not to expect extreme cleanliness and a minimum of culinary quality, but as for mood, forget it. Our table was thankfully reserved with "reception view" and for two friends eager to just sit and talk, it was perfect.
One orange juice and one strawberry juice (both very very good and fresh) were our friends while we placed the orders. We decided to share the Caesar Salad and the Penne with Basil before attacking the main courses.
Presentation is sweet at the Terrace: the edge of the plate is decorated all around with tiny tomato cubes, crushed pistachios and other colourful bits depending on the dish; the only problem is that with this reviewer's notorious clumsiness, half of the bits are on the table before we've even started. The salad was succulent. True, the lettuce could have been cut a little smaller, but the dressing was perfectly full of garlic and the thin cheese slices offered an occasional boost of flavour which the pasta could have used. The penne were al dente, the tomato and basil sauce was good, but the whole experience was not as intense as one would wish. My friend and I conversed much longer during the pasta than the salad, that is certain.
The main courses: Grilled Fillet of Sea Bass for her, Grilled Salmon Steak for me. I don't care what is said about lack of atmosphere, at the Felucca Terrace they know about fish. True, plain rice came with the sea bass instead of the promised couscous, but this was such an irrelevant detail compared to the effect produced by the fish that it was brushed aside in the blink of an eye. We were proud to have ordered fish. We are fishy people.
Dessert was a disappointment in the form of a Mississippi Mud Cake. The cake wasn't moist enough and the chocolate sauce was too thin. The taste was all right, but at LE18 you expect a little more than all right. We had a delightful evening, ate well, and realised that money (LE266) can't buy everything.
Felucca Terrace, Conrad International, Maspero, Nile Corniche.
Tel: 580 8000
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