22 - 28 March 2001
Issue No.526
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 22 - 28 March 2001 Issue No.526 |
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Dusk till dawn
Just like Ibis at the Nile Hilton, My Kind of Place is always ready to receive, day or night -- a friend indeed when hunger strikes and the city is already warm in its blanket.
There was a time when I thought that I, along with the rest of my family members, were vampires, and that's how I feel when for several days in a row I begin to growl for food after midnight. When we got to the Heliopolis Sheraton it was about 1.45am; it was my first meal of the day; it was 4am when we left; and we went to bed just before sunrise. Vampire or no vampire?
For starters, we opted for the Oriental mezze, a choice of four dishes for LE20. The tabboula was excellent, with lots of lemon and not too much burghul -- more green than red or white. The tahina was a little oily for my taste. When I attempted to mix the oil with the rest, little bubbles formed; it was very pretty and educational, but not so encouraging. Then there were warm sambousak with white cheese, which only one word can describe appropriately: perfect. They were bite-sized and soft with crunchy edges and melted cheese of just the right consistency.
Next, in hurried my Chicken Creme and Almond Soup, which I needed rather than wanted for the nasty bug that's been hurting my throat and ears for over a week now. Sooner or later it will be payback time -- they can just wait until I come back from the Hajj too. The soup was extremely soothing, bordering on the sweet but with enough salt to please me, and loads and loads of almond flakes resting at the bottom (I drink my soup straight from the bowl, French style, and sometimes have to wait till the end before the solid bits materialise).
As we awaited the main course, my father and I discovered by watching the other vampires that many more women now smoke than men, our table included. Apart from the people, there was not much to look at, considering that the decor and general setting are not worth bothering to describe. Dad's Old Timer looked big and filling, with lots of fish fingers and French fries, plus a little tub of tartar sauce. The fish was well seasoned (I remember strong cumin) and fresh, but I forgot to ask the maitre d' about its identity. My California Club Sandwich had promised crisp beef bacon and marinated chicken among its many layers, but delivered smoked turkey and tasty, tender, not marinated (I would bet my life on it) chicken bits. Don't get me wrong: it was good enough for me, especially with my share of the mountain of fries and a good selection of pickles. Why did I not add mustard, though?
Towards the end of this light but pleasant meal, before the LE118 bill arrived, we had a friendly chat with Magdi, the maitre d' -- a truly personable man -- who looked at us with the roundest eyes when we explained our relationship as being purely filial/paternal. I concentrated on the small and excellent creme caramel so my father could embrace the compliment with open arms.
My Kind of Place, Heliopolis Sheraton, Orouba St, Airport road. Tel: 267 7730-40
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