Al-Ahram Weekly | Living

		1 - 7 August 2002 Issue No. 597 Living	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

Go East!
Injy El-Kashef is turning Japanese

During the past few months I had noticed that the sprouting of new restaurants in Cairo had significantly slowed down compared to a couple of years ago when nearly every week I heard of a new opening in a different part of town. However, the eating business seems to have picked up again, as my ears welcomed last week the news of three new restaurants. Among them is L'Asiatique -- located on the Le Pasha 1901 boat -- which boasts Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Indian cuisine. So I grabbed a couple of girlfriends and headed there to huddle over some sushi -- an experience most men will die having missed.
We opted for the low tables in the centre that were surrounded by seating cushions -- a vantage point affording us view of the entirety of the elegant interior. L'Asiatique is another of those subtly decorated places with character, increasing the list of venues mixing cosy with chic, unpretentious with classy. I am clearly not the only one who appreciates L'Asiatique's style, judging from the fact that on a Sunday evening the place was almost full house, busy with elegant customers walking coming and going, sitting at the bar, their abandoned laughter resonating through the air, the green Heineken champagnières lodging ever-increasing numbers of white wine bottles.
One of my friends slipped her sandals off her feet and crossed her legs on the cushion, bowing first to Buddha before seeking advice for our meal. The revelation instantly hit: we would begin with a L'Asiatique platter (LE58) of maki (fish surrounded by rice and wrapped to a roll in seaweed), sushi (fish on a rice finger), sashimi (plain fish) and California (much rice with fish at the centre) and Beef Satai with Peanut Sauce. Chopsticks in hand we picked bite after bite off that platter, seaweed and all, dipping each mouthful in the little soy dish and compared notes: consensus -- this platter was simply wonderful; I would even state it was the best sushi I have had in ages. The Beef Satai (six sticks for LE32) with its succulent rich sauce was cooked to melt in the mouth.
Discussion topics were getting more interesting, debates were arising, memories evoked, until the arrival of our main dishes suddenly closed our mouths and opened our eyes. I had hitherto never seen what the waiter placed in front of me: my Sweet and Sour Seabass looked like a pineapple, fried, round, the flesh divided into squares and bathing in a delicious caramelised sauce.
The Mixed Seafood Tempura (deep-fried fish filet, shrimps and vegetables) was rather on the heavy side, the batter having retained some oil from the frying, yet nonetheless succulent. As for the Crispy Duck with the basket of pancakes, I would say it was the least inspiring dish despite the pleasant ritual it entails.
We ate all that. We raised our eyes to Buddha in supplication for forgiveness and clemency, which, once granted, only led to the next order: dessert.
I will only say about the crème bržlée that it remained untouched after the first spoonful -- it was eggy, not the right consistency and lacked sugar. But the Bombe au Chocolat more than made up for that: a moist and delicious brownie topped with rich chocolate sauce, vanilla ice- cream and nuts. It was divine. Resisting the urge to unbutton in public, we opted for some digestive green tea, paid the LE347 bill (including a bottle of water and two Stellas) and walked out content in body and soul.
L'Asiatique, Le Pacha 1901 Boat, Zamalek Corniche
Tel 735 6730

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