Restaurant review
The French connection
Injy El-Kashef finds therapy in the kitchen
Yes it is strange that although when we think of cuisine the French come to mind, there aren't that many French restaurants in Cairo. Very odd indeed. Italian restaurants are all over the place, Asian cuisine is spreading like wildfire in the city, Middle Eastern cooking can be found in abundance, not to mention American fare represented by the multitude of fast food chains and quite a few diners here and there. And what about French? Well they can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
That is clearly what the owners of Nile City boat also realised when they decided to open Bistro Provence in Heliopolis, a sibling of Alain Le Nôtre, owned by the same company. Bistro Provence has recenlty opened where Studio Misr once stood. Elaborately decorated, it is a rather colourful affair, with rich bright patterns matching curtains with upholstery and tablecoths. A spacious and deep interior allows for a cozy feeling, as no matter where you sit, you are always at a comfortable distance from your fellow diners.
A word of warning: if that can at all be believed, they serve no alcohol... as in, no wine... as in no wine with your French dishes. Unspeakable! A real shame. The only other disappointment was the lack of escargots and frogs' legs. I mean, who wouldn't want some rubbery snails sautéed in garlic or some chewy chicken-tasting frogs' legs after a long day's work? I could have perfectly drowned the tears I found myself spilling upon hearing French romantic songs wafting through the air in some escargots washed down with some Beaujolais, or even some Omar Khayam. Oh well, luckily the food made up for that -- absolutely delicious.
The onion soup was a real solace from the sudden romantic nostalgia that took me over. Good food certainly helps a healing process -- any healing process. And when it is as succulent, as rich, as tasty and as perfect as that onion soup was, it has the same effect of a good therapy session.
Among our appetisers was a Mediterranean salad, consisting in fresh crudités with tuna and anchovies, all bathing in a sharp dressing. But the most visually impressive was a huge pile of different types of lettuce, topped with vinaigrette and accompanied by tomatoes stuffed with smooth white cheese.
So far so good; but what came was even better. I had a steak with mushroom sauce. Yes, I know... mushrooms again. But with a juicy, medium rare stake, faultless mashed potatoes and crisp sautéed vegetable, mushroom sauce is no less than another therapy session.
Amongst our talkative party, silence suddenly reigned. No topic at that point was worthy of distracting us from the dishes on our table. Chicken, veal in beurre de Paris, beef -- not one mistake. Just perfect. But nothing, not even that absolutely tantalising dinner, compares to the chocolate soufflé we fought over for dessert. It kept changing hands, as we tore it off each others' grip for just one more spoonful of that moist, rich, sweet, slightly bitter soufflé filled with hot chocolate sauce. The next morning I woke up dreaming of another to relish all by myself this time. I still dream of it, a week later.
This succulent full meal came to LE75 a head.
Bistro Provence, 58 Al-Thawra St, Heliopolis
Tel 290 0110
