Coastal comfort
Fatemah Farag revisits childhood haunts
Is it true that everything is better in Alexandria: the air fresher, the sunlight brighter... and Tikka tastier? Tikka Alexandria is not just another branch of the fast food joint serving spicy, yet greasy, chicken known to us Cairenes. In this coastal "Bride of the Mediterranean" city, Tikka is a proper restaurant overlooking the old port, a fleet of colourful docked fishing boats and the disc of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina across the water.
The restaurant is situated on the second floor of a complex that includes the Samadie patisserie on the ground floor as well as an outdoor Grand Café, and the Fish Market on the roof. Walk up marble steps past the board which boasts pictures of the rich and famous who have visited the venue, you will find a little salon on the right and a wide inviting entrance in front of you.
It is a comfortable room: pastel yellow walls, partitions break up the wide and open space, an open kitchen allows an idea of what is to come and the chandeliers are covered with cute little lampshades. But of all the decor, that which is closest to my heart is the little desert trolley parked in the far corner waiting to be beckoned.
In addition to all the basic chicken staples for which Tikka is well known, the menu offers grilled quail -- which, when sampled on previous visits turned out to be well spiced and tasty -- escalope panné, steak poivre and grilled shrimps. The latter are of the large variety, split down the sides and served open with a splash of spices and lemon. They are, however, few in number on the plate. Not only is the variety of food on offer here more interesting than in other branches, but Tikka Alexandria also serves alcohol, namely local beers and wines.
I started at the beginning, with the salad bar. In addition to fresh greens, spicy tomatoes and green beans with onions, there were less innocent dark green and tasty besara; bland, if comforting, kishk; and oily, yet irresistible, moussaka. No sooner is one back at the table, than the pouri bread arrives, a study in contradiction: puffed up and light, yet greasy, the bread makes an excellent accompaniment to the salad, and all is wolfed down promptly before the main dish arrived -- mine was shish tawouk. Two wooden skewers holding together large hunks of chicken -- which could have been a bit more spicy, but were wholesome all the same -- interspersed with chunks of vegetables -- tomatoes, green peppers and onions. This came with French fries and a second helping of salad if you want.
But soon enough the time came for me to make my move for the trolley cart laden with sweets. On the very top is a large bowl -- well known to the regulars -- filled with profiteroles literally swimming in a thick, dark chocolate sauce. Next to this is the less interesting bowl of fruit salad for those who make a pretense that dieting and healthy eating is better than a proper dessert. There are two other shelves on this contraption and on any given day you will find excellent crème caramel, wonderful mille feuilles coated in either sugar, jam or chocolate, and baba, the only item I have yet to work my way down to. I was silently served my mille feuilles by the prompt, yet not over ingratiating, waiter and left to my deliberations.
My father used to bring me here as a little girl and since I have come regularly with different companions. And throughout the changes of my life Tikka has remained constant: a source of comfort food with a desert trolley that will always pull at the strings of my heart.
Price with one bottle of water LE48
Tikka Grill, the Corniche, Anfoushi, Alexandria
