20 - 26 September 2001
Issue No.552
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 20 - 26 September 2001 Issue No.552 |
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Before we dance
Injy El-Kashef trips the light fantastic
When we entered Al-Saraya boat, right next to Le Pasha, we were struck by the exaggerated luxury and sumptuous decor of the hall. Polished marble everywhere, crystal chandeliers, brass banisters shining like gold, lush plants, and a sparkling feel to the interior that affects one personally with delusions of grandeur. Where are the peacocks? The fountains? The dancing girls? Someone hand me some silk and feathers -- quick.
Alfredo is quite a different affair, however. With terra-cotta tiles, wooden chairs, red-and- white checked tablecloths and dim lighting, the restaurant is more realistically elegant, conveying a pleasant sense of familiarity and coziness. The maitre d' promptly showed us to our table, apologising that he could only place us opposite this particular window as a group of 100 guests was meant to march in any minute. Well, quite honestly, although we feigned regret and sympathetic understanding, we could not have picked a better table ourselves, had the choice been ours. The view was gorgeous from every table anyway.
Our limited budget and the need to remain light for the dancing ahead pretty much restricted us to a main course each and a shared pasta. The honour of choosing the entire meal was left to me, and I settled for a Spaghetti Al Pesto for starters. The food took quite some time to arrive: we each had a chance to visit the rest rooms at least once, smoke a few cigarettes, bring thorny and unresolved personal issues to satisfactory conclusions (didn't even think this was still possible in our day and age) and discuss the tragic course international affairs were taking before our entire order materialised together.
The spaghetti was very good with its basil- based olive-oily pesto (though the kitchen ignored the promised nuts). I was vindicated when I saw the basil flower decoration, since every single Egyptian friend I have refuses to believe that basil is simply rihan. The usual question arises when we discuss food: "But can you get basil here in Egypt?" and the answer is: "Of course. Just get a rihan plant, make sure you always trim the flowers as soon as they bud and pick the leaves for cooking." No one ever believes me until I pull out the convincing but totally untrue line "you fool, the Arabic name is derived from the Latin -- Rihanis Vulgaris." Pity one must lie to back truths sometimes, but such is life.
My friend's Bistecca alla Robespierre was an absolutely delicious thick cut of the leanest beef, tenderly cooked in a rich gravy. He offered that we swap dishes as soon as he saw my reaction upon tasting, but I declined. My Scaloppini di Milano were also very good, though nothing compared to the steak: they had a chewy rubbery consistency that I did not appreciate despite the tasty butter lemon sauce.
We were completely full but, as usual, still ordered some uncalled-for and absolutely unappetising Tiramisu for dessert, bringing the bill to LE110 with a bottle of water.
Alfredo, Al-Saraya boat, Saray Al-Gezira Street, Zamalek.
Tel: 738 3247
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