Restaurant review:
Identity crisis
Nyier Abdou dines with Chairman Mao
Sultry, subdued lighting, stylish accents and unabashedly Orientalist furnishings are the hallmark of the Diyafa brand. The group that brought us trendy Nile-side spots Bam-Bu and Sangria, and successfully cultivated haute cuisine out of traditional Egyptian fare at Abu El- Sid, keeps the ball rolling with its new outlet in Maadi.
Housed in an airy villa -- a branch of Abu El-Sid on the ground floor and the nightspot Le Tabasco on the first floor -- the ambiance is definitively indulgent. We felt almost theatrical as we climbed the stairs to Le Tabasco.
I was struck by the elegant framed posters and lush high-backed benches; it's all exquisitely executed, but inexplicably Chinese in theme. Stylised Chinese calligraphy lines the walls and graces the tabletops, while in the back of the long, narrow dining room an outsized portrait of Mao Tse-tung presides over the convened diners. I hadn't heard that Tabasco was a Chinese restaurant and a quick glance at the menu assured me that it is not.
I asked our waiter why the restaurant had so much Chinese character. He was baffled by the question. It seems impossible he hadn't noticed. Across the room, Chairman Mao gave us a knowing wink.
If the décor is obtuse, the menu is fittingly confused, being of the school that is usually described in restaurant parlance as "eclectic international". Mexican-style sea bass, shrimp curry with vegetables, and chicken teriyaki are among the main courses. Cheese and spinach crêpe to start, perhaps? No less than 11 types of pizza, along with pasta dishes, are available. In the back near the bar is what else but ... a sushi bar.
We began with crispy, tasty spring rolls and large salads. The greens in both the blue cheese with gargeer salad and the "Tabasco Greens", with green beans, mushrooms, cheese and gargeer, were very fresh and the dressing light and appropriate.
Thick strips of calamari coated in a dark, rich sauce of honey and soya were my main course. I was pleased by the dish's relative simplicity and powerful flavour, as well as the brown rice on the side, but the calamari was slightly overcooked, leaving it a bit chewy. My companion opted for the Veal Tabasco on the recommendation of our waiter. Mushrooms, basil and (regrettably few) sun-dried tomatoes co-mingle with strips of veal under melted, smoked cheese. It looked like an omelette, I'll confess, but the combination is inspired. Again, this dish was slightly overcooked.
As we were digging in, the manager strolled by. I asked him why the restaurant décor had a Chinese theme. Although it is not available during Ramadan, we were told, the restaurant offers sushi.
"But sushi is Japanese," I said.
"Yeah," he said.
An awkward silence followed. Waving at the elaborate design, the manager explained that the owner really likes Chinese design. "And he really likes this guy," he added, jabbing his finger back behind him in the direction of Chairman Mao. We all smiled. It was not clear to us if he knew who it was.
For the young and trendy, it doesn't matter really. Wining and dining in ornate surroundings are fine enough, and Tabasco delivers, both on style and solid food. At almost LE100 a head, you pay for it though.
Le Tabasco, 45 Street 7, Maadi, Tel 359 1222
Open every day from 11am to 11pm
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 27 November - 3 December 2003 (Issue No. 666)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/666/li2.htm