Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Shout Out
Why so suprised? I've not posted for a while; because I've been too busy giving most of my material to CAMPUS magazine. Soon, though, I'll be hitting the mainstream, contributing reviews for G-Mag as well; so stay tuned.
What's in the pipeline?
Bone Marrow
Buffalo Burger
Site Redesign
Possible new contributor? Stay tuned.
Cooking Time
Nuked, 1 minute on Hi Power.
What's in the pipeline?
Bone Marrow
Buffalo Burger
Site Redesign
Possible new contributor? Stay tuned.
Cooking Time
Nuked, 1 minute on Hi Power.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tamarai - Nile City Towers
I’ve been hearing about Cairo’s latest gastronomical offering, Tamarai, since it opened its doors a few short weeks ago. There are rave reviews abound, published in magazines and dailies like the Daily News Egypt. All of them praised the perfectly cooked and flavorful menu offerings and salivated at its copper and gun-metal gray tinged décor. I had the opportunity to go to Tamarai this past weekend. A friend had made reservations for a small dinner party, and we were all excited to finally sample the fare on offer.
I think we got off on the wrong foot, Tamarai and I. First the bouncer (A Bouncer? Really?!) tried to deny me entry to the restaurant, insisting that I did not, in fact, have a reservation. Moments later, the strangeness of that encounter would only become fully apparent by the empty dining room. There were more wait staff milling about than there were diners. So why deny me entry? Does Tamarai not accept walk-ins?
To offend me further, once I sat down, the waiter came and whispered in my ear, his voice aquiver with panic “Sir, there is a minimum charge.” Excuse me? I suppose the Raymond Wiel Watches, iPhones, Burburry sweaters and Fendi scarves littered about the table did not sell the idea that we were, in fact, not poor. Also, why would they insist on telling me this, when they had to know that I have made reservations, which means that I know what the prices are like, which means I can afford it?!
At the behest of my kinder nature, I decided to be objective, and focus only on the food and service we were about to receive.
Using the review in The Daily News as a guide, I started out with the Beef Carpaccio, which they claimed was sublime. I assure you, it was not. The taste of the wonderfully rare slices of beef was bullied and overpowered by the overly generous helping of tiles of parmesan cheese; Rocket and cracked black pepper. I tasted nothing else. I noticed the chef had drizzled some olive oil and balsamic vinegar as an afterthought, but the quantity was too small to make a difference.
After the dry and peppery ordeal that was the Beef Carpaccio, I waited a further 25 minutes for my main course; Lamb Chops served with Red Wine sauce and confit baby onions and eggplant. As a side, I asked for potato dauphinois. As usual, I ordered the lamb served medium.
When the plate arrived, I thought a rabbit had been freshly slaughtered and its broken ribs left to bathe in the mish mash of its entrails. This accompanying red wine sauce was a crime on many levels – The shallots should have been sieved out, it was too acidic, and the sauce had split giving it an overall greasy unappetizing look. To top it all off, it was everywhere; the sauce covered the plate like white on rice, the plate dominated by bloody diaper diarrhea. Even the confit of onion and eggplant was not spared the chef’s heavy hand. The idea was to present a delicate cylinder, covered on each end by a thin slice of courgette – in theory, divine; in practice, disaster - the courgettes were burnt, and the confit was so acidic, it left blisters on my tongue.
You would think that all this would distract me from any imperfections in the lamb itself. Unfortunately, I was not so lucky. The lamb chops were tiny, and although they were nicely French trimmed, they were barely cooked to medium (some chops were actually rare), and had zero flavor. The quality of the meat was clearly inferior. As an act of mercy, I will stop describing how bad this dish was and simply ask you not to order it, unless you’re the type of person who derives pleasure from being physically harmed.
I did not have any complaints with the potato dauphinois, other than the fact that it was not seasoned enough and served no purpose other than to occupy valuable gastric real estate.
I was the unlucky one, it would seem. The rest of the table ordered the Shrimp and Saffron risotto, Mushroom Ravioli and Roast Chicken Breast. The Roast Chicken breast looked fantastic; beautiful white chicken breast fanned out over sautéed vegetables and in a light caramel coloured sauce. I immediately envied my fortunate (and financially prudent) friends. At EGP 75, the chicken breast is the least expensive entrée on the menu. And I was told that it was not dry and in fact, perfectly flavored and seasoned. I tasted the mushroom ravioli, and while it did not offer any complexity of flavor, it was a passable dish tasting of button mushrooms and not much else. Underseasoned for my taste, the Champollion mushrooms would have benefitted from a bit of pepper, to be honest. Maybe even fill the ravioli with a different type of mushroom (porcini, for example), to help the dish escape that one-dimensional taste.
The Shrimp and Saffron Risotto promised to be a star. Arriving in a white bowl with wide edges, the bright orange shrimp sat on….dark brown rice. The risotto was dry, not finished with Parmesan and as a result, lacked the creaminess that is what separates a Risotto from undercooked rice or even "Roz Mo3ammar". I tasted a rice cooked in a chicken stock made from cubes (read: very salty) with a little added Turmeric powder. The expected pepperiness of the divine Saffron was missing; I at least expected to see little threads of Saffron running through the dish, but not a sliver was to be seen. So why use Turmeric instead? Probably because to the untrained palate (Cairo certainly has alot of them), Turmeric can taste alot like Saffron. Probably because the Mr. Lazy Chef assumes that no one can tell the difference. Probably because both can be yellow. Whatever the reason may be, I couldn't help but feel deceived a little.
I do not understand how such a promising dish could be executed so horribly. For a restaurant of this supposed caliber, the risotto should have been made with a fish stock; preferably made from the shells of the shrimp and a nice light miropoix. It’s a seafood risotto and should taste like one. Maybe the "Genius French Chef" should do some web browsing and use this recipe instead of his own.
The dessert round approached, and I was eager to finish on a high note. I wanted so badly to like this place, I really did. I ordered the sweet chocolate shortbread, served with chocolate mousse and confit pineapple. The rest of my party ordered the Apple Tart and the Chocolate Souffle. The desserts were presented nicely enough, on square clear blue plates. The chocolate shortbread and mousse combo I ordered and tasted…nice. Just… Nice. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not meritorious enough to warrant entry to my long term memory, except for the horrible pineapple confit which definitely came straight out of a can, garnished deceptively by a peeled vanilla pod.
The apple tart also did not deliver and the verdict, passed down in a single word, was “Dry”. This was immediately followed by a 5 minute declaration of love for the Tart Tatin at Charwood’s in Mohandessin; currently sitting unchallenged at the top of everyone’s list of favorite desserts. The chocolate soufflé, however, seems to have delivered on a profound level, because my friend who ordered it is still singing its praises. I, however, will take his crooning with a grain of salt; this is a Man who thought that vanilla was supposed to be white, meat is to be eaten well done, and that pineapples were mangos.
Tamarai is not cheap. The service leaves much to be desired. The food, even more so. However, there was one bright spot – the cocktails. The Bartender is the real genius, serving up expertly mixed cocktails with complex and refreshing flavors. I do not remember the exact names of the virgin cocktails I ordered, but a trip to Tamarai would be worth it, if only for the opportunity to sample those wonderful libations again. Not 3 weeks into its life as Cairo’s newest addition to high-end cuisine, I noticed a few couples walk in, sit at the lounge and wave away the food menu in favor of the cocktail menu. Tamarai’s future lies in its bar lounge, it would seem, and not at its dinner table. Even the cardboard flyers announcing Tamarai’s appearance onto the scene make no mention of the food, only who the architect is and what number to call should you want to decorate your living room the same way:
Tamarai is like most restaurants in Cairo, promising a lot more than it can deliver. It will be known for its style and pseudo-exclusivity. It will be remembered for its prices. It will be celebrated for its imaginative and exciting cocktail bar. But will it stand out for it’s expertly cooked and well balanced food?
Not a chance.
Cooking time 115 minutes.
I think we got off on the wrong foot, Tamarai and I. First the bouncer (A Bouncer? Really?!) tried to deny me entry to the restaurant, insisting that I did not, in fact, have a reservation. Moments later, the strangeness of that encounter would only become fully apparent by the empty dining room. There were more wait staff milling about than there were diners. So why deny me entry? Does Tamarai not accept walk-ins?
To offend me further, once I sat down, the waiter came and whispered in my ear, his voice aquiver with panic “Sir, there is a minimum charge.” Excuse me? I suppose the Raymond Wiel Watches, iPhones, Burburry sweaters and Fendi scarves littered about the table did not sell the idea that we were, in fact, not poor. Also, why would they insist on telling me this, when they had to know that I have made reservations, which means that I know what the prices are like, which means I can afford it?!
At the behest of my kinder nature, I decided to be objective, and focus only on the food and service we were about to receive.
After the dry and peppery ordeal that was the Beef Carpaccio, I waited a further 25 minutes for my main course; Lamb Chops served with Red Wine sauce and confit baby onions and eggplant. As a side, I asked for potato dauphinois. As usual, I ordered the lamb served medium.
When the plate arrived, I thought a rabbit had been freshly slaughtered and its broken ribs left to bathe in the mish mash of its entrails. This accompanying red wine sauce was a crime on many levels – The shallots should have been sieved out, it was too acidic, and the sauce had split giving it an overall greasy unappetizing look. To top it all off, it was everywhere; the sauce covered the plate like white on rice, the plate dominated by bloody diaper diarrhea. Even the confit of onion and eggplant was not spared the chef’s heavy hand. The idea was to present a delicate cylinder, covered on each end by a thin slice of courgette – in theory, divine; in practice, disaster - the courgettes were burnt, and the confit was so acidic, it left blisters on my tongue.
You would think that all this would distract me from any imperfections in the lamb itself. Unfortunately, I was not so lucky. The lamb chops were tiny, and although they were nicely French trimmed, they were barely cooked to medium (some chops were actually rare), and had zero flavor. The quality of the meat was clearly inferior. As an act of mercy, I will stop describing how bad this dish was and simply ask you not to order it, unless you’re the type of person who derives pleasure from being physically harmed.
I did not have any complaints with the potato dauphinois, other than the fact that it was not seasoned enough and served no purpose other than to occupy valuable gastric real estate.
I was the unlucky one, it would seem. The rest of the table ordered the Shrimp and Saffron risotto, Mushroom Ravioli and Roast Chicken Breast. The Roast Chicken breast looked fantastic; beautiful white chicken breast fanned out over sautéed vegetables and in a light caramel coloured sauce. I immediately envied my fortunate (and financially prudent) friends. At EGP 75, the chicken breast is the least expensive entrée on the menu. And I was told that it was not dry and in fact, perfectly flavored and seasoned. I tasted the mushroom ravioli, and while it did not offer any complexity of flavor, it was a passable dish tasting of button mushrooms and not much else. Underseasoned for my taste, the Champollion mushrooms would have benefitted from a bit of pepper, to be honest. Maybe even fill the ravioli with a different type of mushroom (porcini, for example), to help the dish escape that one-dimensional taste.
The Shrimp and Saffron Risotto promised to be a star. Arriving in a white bowl with wide edges, the bright orange shrimp sat on….dark brown rice. The risotto was dry, not finished with Parmesan and as a result, lacked the creaminess that is what separates a Risotto from undercooked rice or even "Roz Mo3ammar". I tasted a rice cooked in a chicken stock made from cubes (read: very salty) with a little added Turmeric powder. The expected pepperiness of the divine Saffron was missing; I at least expected to see little threads of Saffron running through the dish, but not a sliver was to be seen. So why use Turmeric instead? Probably because to the untrained palate (Cairo certainly has alot of them), Turmeric can taste alot like Saffron. Probably because the Mr. Lazy Chef assumes that no one can tell the difference. Probably because both can be yellow. Whatever the reason may be, I couldn't help but feel deceived a little.
I do not understand how such a promising dish could be executed so horribly. For a restaurant of this supposed caliber, the risotto should have been made with a fish stock; preferably made from the shells of the shrimp and a nice light miropoix. It’s a seafood risotto and should taste like one. Maybe the "Genius French Chef" should do some web browsing and use this recipe instead of his own.
The dessert round approached, and I was eager to finish on a high note. I wanted so badly to like this place, I really did. I ordered the sweet chocolate shortbread, served with chocolate mousse and confit pineapple. The rest of my party ordered the Apple Tart and the Chocolate Souffle. The desserts were presented nicely enough, on square clear blue plates. The chocolate shortbread and mousse combo I ordered and tasted…nice. Just… Nice. Nothing to write home about, and certainly not meritorious enough to warrant entry to my long term memory, except for the horrible pineapple confit which definitely came straight out of a can, garnished deceptively by a peeled vanilla pod.
The apple tart also did not deliver and the verdict, passed down in a single word, was “Dry”. This was immediately followed by a 5 minute declaration of love for the Tart Tatin at Charwood’s in Mohandessin; currently sitting unchallenged at the top of everyone’s list of favorite desserts. The chocolate soufflé, however, seems to have delivered on a profound level, because my friend who ordered it is still singing its praises. I, however, will take his crooning with a grain of salt; this is a Man who thought that vanilla was supposed to be white, meat is to be eaten well done, and that pineapples were mangos.
Tamarai is not cheap. The service leaves much to be desired. The food, even more so. However, there was one bright spot – the cocktails. The Bartender is the real genius, serving up expertly mixed cocktails with complex and refreshing flavors. I do not remember the exact names of the virgin cocktails I ordered, but a trip to Tamarai would be worth it, if only for the opportunity to sample those wonderful libations again. Not 3 weeks into its life as Cairo’s newest addition to high-end cuisine, I noticed a few couples walk in, sit at the lounge and wave away the food menu in favor of the cocktail menu. Tamarai’s future lies in its bar lounge, it would seem, and not at its dinner table. Even the cardboard flyers announcing Tamarai’s appearance onto the scene make no mention of the food, only who the architect is and what number to call should you want to decorate your living room the same way:
See what I mean?
Tamarai is like most restaurants in Cairo, promising a lot more than it can deliver. It will be known for its style and pseudo-exclusivity. It will be remembered for its prices. It will be celebrated for its imaginative and exciting cocktail bar. But will it stand out for it’s expertly cooked and well balanced food?
Not a chance.
Cooking time 115 minutes.
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Best Burger in Cairo 2008 - The Results are In!
This took a lot of thought, and even then, my perfectionist nature prevents me from unequivocally declaring an outright winner. So many factors taken into account, and so many voices were heard, each nominating their own favorite restaurants for the bragging rights.
After taking everything into consideration, I stripped each burger down to its bare essentials. I judged only the Burger and not the sides offered, nor did I examine the quality of the service; it came down to the Bun, The Patty and The Toppings.
Without further ado, I give you, my non-existent reader, the Best Burger in Cairo.
After taking everything into consideration, I stripped each burger down to its bare essentials. I judged only the Burger and not the sides offered, nor did I examine the quality of the service; it came down to the Bun, The Patty and The Toppings.
Without further ado, I give you, my non-existent reader, the Best Burger in Cairo.
Granted, it is a bit odd to have the best burger in Cairo come from an operation that has no Dine-In option, but bear with me: We get to eat the burger in the comfort of our homes. That is special. It brings that "comfort food" element back to the hamburger, because let's face it, that's what a Hamburger is for a lot of people. It's a safe choice. A mainstay of our increasingly fast-paced eating habits.
So what makes this burger so good? The soft bun. How it holds the entire ensemble of vegetable, assorted sauces and beef together without getting in the way. The Burger patty, seasoned only minimally with salt and pepper, cooked to perfection (at medium well) and clearly made from good quality meat. The vegetable toppings - crisp fresh lettuce and onions, hearty thick tomato slices, all playing Oscar-worthy supporting roles to that Great Burger Patty. My only caveat is the conspicuous absence of sliced pickles, which would add a nice sharp vinegary note to the burger to cut the richness of the beef.
With the TBK Original, we really can have it our way. This unprecedented even for Burger King, since the toppings come in a separate plastic vessel for hygiene and to allow us to choose what goes where. This appeals to my perfectionist nature, and gives me control over each and every bite.
In second place - a very close second place - is the Gambini Burger from Casper and Gambini's. It is no secret I am a fan of their food, and this burger is no exception. the toppings are just right, a mixture of shredded lettuce, pickles, onion and tomato. The ground beef patty is thick, often cooked medium and is firmly ensconced inside a whole wheat bun.
In third place, Crocodile Grill also makes a wonderfully suprising Appearance. While this restaurant fails on so many levels, it beats all expectations and delivers quite handily. I highly recommend trying their 3 cheeses burger, oozing with cheesy goodness, excellent toppings and an almost perfect beef patty; it suffers from the classic Egyptian misconception that all meat should be served Well Done, and as a result, the burger relies heavily on the toppings and accompanying sauces to provide the required moisture.
Every other burger I've tried fades into the background. Ruby Tuesday's has a decent burger, as does Chili's. Burger Joint earns some kudos for their burgers, although the quality of the meat has dropped off significantly since the main owner left to establish Burger Kitchen.
Dubious honors go to Johnny Rocket's, which lost much of its initial steam because my 3rd trip there yielded a burger nowhere near as good as the first two. Contrary to what I had experienced before, the burger was dry, and the bun was stale. I am putting this down to lack of consistency and officially give them their first Yellow Card for crimes against the Burger.
I await your comments, lads and lasses. Sound off!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Making Pastrami
Around New Year's a friend and I were discussing the finer points of sandwich meats, and we found ourselves extolling the virtues of a well made Pastrami sandwich - which neither of us have had for many years. With nostalgia in our hearts and adventure in our spirits, we set out to recreate those oh-so-wonderful pastrami rueben sandwiches now sitting tantalisingly in our minds.
A quick websearch revealed a series of immensely informative articles on About.com on exactly how to make your own corned beef and pastrami. So now I was armed with the process of Brine, Dry Rub and Smoke, I needed to prepare the meat itself.
My Excellent Butcher, Samara on Hassanein Heikel Street in Nasr City, is a highly educated man. I love going there, because all I need to do is tell him the English name of the cut I want, and he fills me in on the cut's name in Arabic, and adds a little culinary history as well. The cut I was looking for was Brisket, which in Arabic is called "Dosh". The same cut has a different name in Arabic, depending on the animal; the more familiar name of "Neefa" is the brisket from a sheep or goat.
Neefa is typiacally braised slowly, after spending a dy or two marinading in grated tomatoes, onions, green peppers and seasoning. This tenderizes the meat for the slow braising. I've had barbecued "Neefa" before, and I did not enjoy it - it was too touch. The Butcher confirmed my judgement by telling me that any self respecting Kebabgy would never offer broiled/barbecued neefa, since it is a very tough cut of meat.
The reason for its toughness comes from the fact that the Brisket corresponds to the Pectoralis muscles of the animal, near the forelegs. Those muscles may be big, but they're also notoriously fatty and tough, since they do so much work. That's where the brining comes in; it loosens it up and in our case, can be used to impart some extra flavor as well.
The butcher prepared a nice 2Kg slab of brisket for me, with the flat and the point still attached per my request. If anything is worth doing, it's worth doing right, and I wanted the satisfaction of preparing the Pastrami from start to finish. I took the meat home and began work trimming and preparing the flat for pastrami. Another websearch yielded this very informative page on how to trim brisket.
Once the flat was prepared, I got my brine on. Cloves, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Beef Stock cubes, Cardamom, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Red Hot Chilli Powder went into about 4 liters of hot water.
It smelled of ambrosia.
I set the flat into the brine, covered it and let it sit in a dark corner of my fridge for 4 days. Thankfully, a trip to warmer climes eased the anticipation anxiety.
Taking the flat out, patting it dry and preparing a dry rub was pure joy, since I could already taste the goodness. The rub was the same as the brine mixture, sans cardamom and water. the final step was then to wrap it in mutiple layers of foil and placing it in a 350 degree oven for an hour and a half.
The result?
Not exactly what I expected, but not a total disaster. In hindsight, I skipped a crucial step - soaking the beef in fresh water overnight to draw out the excess salt and rehydrate the beef a bit. Also, I skipped smoking the meat since #1 I do not have a smoker at home and #2 I could not find wood chips to smoke the meat with.
All in all, it was a proof of concept, and as a good friend of mine said - the 2nd time is always better than the first. I wonder now if she was talking about food...
Cooking Time 1 Week. Ouch.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Not Hungry Cuz I Ate. Yesterday!
I rolled out of bed this morning and landed with a thud. Rolled is an apt word, because after the copious amounts of beef, veg and chocolate I consumed last night, my trunkal area has morphed into a $200 barrel of oil. As I opened my eyes the scent of the fantastic marinade my comrade made lingered still in these hairy nostrils of mine.
I'd eaten my fill, and I knew it. Total Serum Triglycerides - 250 and rising.
You see, its Eid. The Big One. The Greater Feast. And a few of my friends and I decided to make our celebration meal a Great Feast. I came a bit late to the shindig, and brought my own beef purchased from my excellent Butcher "Samara" on Hassanein Haikel Road in Nasr City. Seriously, as an aside, having a good relationship (or any at all) with your butcher is key.
I got a rib eye steak and a Sirloin Steak; each weighing about 350 grams. I marinated the sirloin for 40 minutes; the Rib Eye was heavily seasoned with salt and pepper and painted with olive oil and rosemary. A good barbecue does not rest on the seared flesh alone - we had sides galore: caramelized onions, beef and onion gravy, nutmeg and cheese pureed potatoes, and rosemary roasted potatoes.
There was a lot to go around, and we finished it all.
The thought to take pictures occurred after the fact, so I can only show you shaky cell phone pictures of the empty plates and pans. We did, however, have the presence of mind to photograph the dessert - a great construct of Brownie, Vanilla and Caramel ice cream, topped with fresh spearmint, grated mint chocolate and a chocolate fudge sauce. We also added a Roasted Marshmallow Kebab to round out the decadence.
Props to the hosts for the good music, good cheer and good spirits! It was Good. We ate much food. Happy Eid, Lads.
Cooking Time: 17 minutes.
I'd eaten my fill, and I knew it. Total Serum Triglycerides - 250 and rising.
You see, its Eid. The Big One. The Greater Feast. And a few of my friends and I decided to make our celebration meal a Great Feast. I came a bit late to the shindig, and brought my own beef purchased from my excellent Butcher "Samara" on Hassanein Haikel Road in Nasr City. Seriously, as an aside, having a good relationship (or any at all) with your butcher is key.
I got a rib eye steak and a Sirloin Steak; each weighing about 350 grams. I marinated the sirloin for 40 minutes; the Rib Eye was heavily seasoned with salt and pepper and painted with olive oil and rosemary. A good barbecue does not rest on the seared flesh alone - we had sides galore: caramelized onions, beef and onion gravy, nutmeg and cheese pureed potatoes, and rosemary roasted potatoes.
There was a lot to go around, and we finished it all.
The thought to take pictures occurred after the fact, so I can only show you shaky cell phone pictures of the empty plates and pans. We did, however, have the presence of mind to photograph the dessert - a great construct of Brownie, Vanilla and Caramel ice cream, topped with fresh spearmint, grated mint chocolate and a chocolate fudge sauce. We also added a Roasted Marshmallow Kebab to round out the decadence.
Props to the hosts for the good music, good cheer and good spirits! It was Good. We ate much food. Happy Eid, Lads.
Cooking Time: 17 minutes.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Cairo’s Best Burger: The Method behind the Madness.
I’ve turned into a culinary Kane. I walk the earth alone and sample the fare on offer by the countless vendors in our fair city. This self imposed quest was to find a hamburger worthy of being called Cairo’s Best.
But first, a little background on why.
About a year ago, an unfortunate journalist walked into Lucille’s one afternoon for the first time. Nostalgic and homesick, he was enthralled by the thinly veiled greasy spoon diner that is Lucille’s. He ordered a Hamburger, and it may have been good. However, a hungry and homesick judge is a judge easily bribed and swayed; and this man was no different. Desperate for some work, he mined his mind for a sensational claim that would turn a run-of-the-mill afternoon lunch into a Time-worthy article – The World’s Best Hamburger is in Cairo.
His plan worked, and unfortunately gave credibility to the argument that some poor misguided souls have been making that Lucille’s burgers are actually good. I refer you back to my original rant for some more vitriol.
But first, a little background on why.
About a year ago, an unfortunate journalist walked into Lucille’s one afternoon for the first time. Nostalgic and homesick, he was enthralled by the thinly veiled greasy spoon diner that is Lucille’s. He ordered a Hamburger, and it may have been good. However, a hungry and homesick judge is a judge easily bribed and swayed; and this man was no different. Desperate for some work, he mined his mind for a sensational claim that would turn a run-of-the-mill afternoon lunch into a Time-worthy article – The World’s Best Hamburger is in Cairo.
His plan worked, and unfortunately gave credibility to the argument that some poor misguided souls have been making that Lucille’s burgers are actually good. I refer you back to my original rant for some more vitriol.
Then, a jumpy young man over at Daily News Egypt started looking for the best burger in Cairo, and although he painted his search as "comprehesive" I have my doubts.Judging only by the location of restaurants that made it into his article, he seems to have put himself on a taxi budget of no more than 10 pounds; limiting his search to the expat-rich neighborhoods of Zamalek and Maadi. So although it was a nice try - it feels undercooked.
Now onto the task at hand:
When trying to determine the best of anything, a strict set of criteria needs to be followed. I decided that only plain hamburgers/cheeseburgers will be considered – no mushroom burgers, no bacon barbecue burgers need apply. I am not going to speak to the quality of the restaurant itself: I am focusing solely on the Hamburger, and its quality.
I also limited the candidates based on their popularity among Cairenes as a whole. This means that one-off restaurants like Crave or Spectra are not considered for this list, although they may be considered later on in a follow up article. The exceptions to this rule are Hotel restaurants. Special emphasis is placed on establishments that claim to have “the world’s best burger” or other iteration claiming their global uniqueness.
If you, my phantom reader, have a recommendation drop me a line. Give me a good reason why it should be added to my list, and why I should even be listening to you.
Otherwise, go boil an egg.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
So...
Yeah.
It's been way too long. I've left you cold and without mental sustenence for a few months now. Not that I haven;t been sampling the fare cairo has to offer - I just haven't written it up yet.
Look forward to reviews/rants on:
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Justine's
Ruby Tuesday
Johnny Rocket
Crocodile Grill
The Best Hamburger in Cairo
The Best Koshary in Cairo
All this and more - if you're lucky before the end of this year!
Till then, stay sweet, stay safe and keep on dancing!
Cooking Time.....2 Minutes
It's been way too long. I've left you cold and without mental sustenence for a few months now. Not that I haven;t been sampling the fare cairo has to offer - I just haven't written it up yet.
Look forward to reviews/rants on:
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Justine's
Ruby Tuesday
Johnny Rocket
Crocodile Grill
The Best Hamburger in Cairo
The Best Koshary in Cairo
All this and more - if you're lucky before the end of this year!
Till then, stay sweet, stay safe and keep on dancing!
Cooking Time.....2 Minutes
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Eatalian, Phase 2 City Stars.
Let me get this out of the way first: Eatalian is not cheap. According to my math you’ll end up spending an extra 10% premium for an experience which, at first glance, is comparable to eating cold hors d'eurves at a freezing and ghastly green storage facility.
That having been said, once you actually get past the unsightly green décor, uncomfortable tables and chairs and unfortunate location in the middle of City Stars’ “family food court” in phase 2, you come to the realization that Eatalian, in fact, is good.
Quite Good. Memorable, even…
I’ve had their wild mushroom risotto, which is a classic recipe. Comparing this risotto to the only other wild mushroom risotto I’ve ate in Cairo – that of Le Gourmandise at the First Mall – I can proclaim Eatalian as the winner by knockout in the first round. This Risotto is creamy, al dente and literally explodes with flavor, especially if you’re fortunate enough to get a piece of fresh mushroom cap on your spoonful. I say fortunate, because I was in the company of two skeptics; and we all decided to share off the menu in the communal spirit of the Italians. The mushroom caps were so good that my good friends turned into growling rottweilers, baring their pearly whites, whenever I pointed my spoon in the general direction of those wonderful caps.
We moved on to the Bresaola antipasti, Milanese Caprese Salad and a Grilled Tenderloin Crostini. I will not wax on poetic about how good they were, but apparently my moans of ecstasy bothered the veiled and bearded couple sitting to my rear, and they promptly got up and left before waiting for their menus. Perhaps it was for the best; one bite of the Bresaola would have turned the Mr. Beard into a wild love-making machine, while the Mrs. Veil would have kicked up her burkha and performed a striptease on the wooden tables.
Served on wooden chopping boards, I felt that this was real Man’s Food; consumed to provide fuel for the torrid love that Italians are purported to make. There was nothing complicated about the presentation – it was simple, beautiful and made me want to lick it all over.
Eatalian and its far-eastern cousin Wagamama are both owned and managed by the same company that operates Casper and Gambini. The good news is that this means the tradition of fresh ingredients and perfect cooking techniques are handed down to the younger franchises. The bad news is that Eatalian’s weakness seems to have also been inherited from its bigger brothers – the Desserts.
Italian Soda, Ricotta Cheesecake – two opportunities for greatness, two immense failures. The manager of Eatalian, a tall, svelte Lebanese gentleman named Paul (whose named when Egyptified sounds woefully like the Arabic word for urine) endeavored to explain to me that the cheesecake was not bad – my sense of taste was wrong. Intrigued by this technique, I indulged him as he proclaimed to have been trained in Michelin starred restaurants in Paris, and holds a degree in food history (or at least took a course in it). Now if he were, in fact, trained at Michelin starred restaurants, he should know that the customer’s comfort is of the utmost importance. When faced with the irrefutable fact that a raspberry coulis should be sans seeds, he declared that Italians are rustic, and as a rustic Italian restaurant, Eatalian does not strain the seeds out of its raspberry sauce. The sauce tasted fantastic, but the seeds really got in the way.
I think I may have missed something: Since when did Feng Shue-ing a pizza become “rustic”? There is nothing rustic about Eatalian, and the sooner the management realizes this, the better. They will lose the incongruous décor; which looks like it was stolen from a color blind carpenter’s loft in Manhattan. Green makes me want to grab a shovel and start planting shit – not grab a fork and begin eating.
It is worthy to note that this is the world’s first branch of Eatalian; with more coming in Dubai, Beirut and Saudi Arabia. It occupies the same niche as Casper and Gambini, Waterlemon (not yet in Egypt, thank god) and now, Ruby Tuesday’s – all vying for the Yappie crowd (Young Arab Professionals).
Does it stand a chance? Perhaps.
Does it stand apart? Not for long.
Cooking time: 25 Minutes
That having been said, once you actually get past the unsightly green décor, uncomfortable tables and chairs and unfortunate location in the middle of City Stars’ “family food court” in phase 2, you come to the realization that Eatalian, in fact, is good.
Quite Good. Memorable, even…
I’ve had their wild mushroom risotto, which is a classic recipe. Comparing this risotto to the only other wild mushroom risotto I’ve ate in Cairo – that of Le Gourmandise at the First Mall – I can proclaim Eatalian as the winner by knockout in the first round. This Risotto is creamy, al dente and literally explodes with flavor, especially if you’re fortunate enough to get a piece of fresh mushroom cap on your spoonful. I say fortunate, because I was in the company of two skeptics; and we all decided to share off the menu in the communal spirit of the Italians. The mushroom caps were so good that my good friends turned into growling rottweilers, baring their pearly whites, whenever I pointed my spoon in the general direction of those wonderful caps.
We moved on to the Bresaola antipasti, Milanese Caprese Salad and a Grilled Tenderloin Crostini. I will not wax on poetic about how good they were, but apparently my moans of ecstasy bothered the veiled and bearded couple sitting to my rear, and they promptly got up and left before waiting for their menus. Perhaps it was for the best; one bite of the Bresaola would have turned the Mr. Beard into a wild love-making machine, while the Mrs. Veil would have kicked up her burkha and performed a striptease on the wooden tables.
Served on wooden chopping boards, I felt that this was real Man’s Food; consumed to provide fuel for the torrid love that Italians are purported to make. There was nothing complicated about the presentation – it was simple, beautiful and made me want to lick it all over.
Eatalian and its far-eastern cousin Wagamama are both owned and managed by the same company that operates Casper and Gambini. The good news is that this means the tradition of fresh ingredients and perfect cooking techniques are handed down to the younger franchises. The bad news is that Eatalian’s weakness seems to have also been inherited from its bigger brothers – the Desserts.
Italian Soda, Ricotta Cheesecake – two opportunities for greatness, two immense failures. The manager of Eatalian, a tall, svelte Lebanese gentleman named Paul (whose named when Egyptified sounds woefully like the Arabic word for urine) endeavored to explain to me that the cheesecake was not bad – my sense of taste was wrong. Intrigued by this technique, I indulged him as he proclaimed to have been trained in Michelin starred restaurants in Paris, and holds a degree in food history (or at least took a course in it). Now if he were, in fact, trained at Michelin starred restaurants, he should know that the customer’s comfort is of the utmost importance. When faced with the irrefutable fact that a raspberry coulis should be sans seeds, he declared that Italians are rustic, and as a rustic Italian restaurant, Eatalian does not strain the seeds out of its raspberry sauce. The sauce tasted fantastic, but the seeds really got in the way.
I think I may have missed something: Since when did Feng Shue-ing a pizza become “rustic”? There is nothing rustic about Eatalian, and the sooner the management realizes this, the better. They will lose the incongruous décor; which looks like it was stolen from a color blind carpenter’s loft in Manhattan. Green makes me want to grab a shovel and start planting shit – not grab a fork and begin eating.
It is worthy to note that this is the world’s first branch of Eatalian; with more coming in Dubai, Beirut and Saudi Arabia. It occupies the same niche as Casper and Gambini, Waterlemon (not yet in Egypt, thank god) and now, Ruby Tuesday’s – all vying for the Yappie crowd (Young Arab Professionals).
Does it stand a chance? Perhaps.
Does it stand apart? Not for long.
Cooking time: 25 Minutes
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Koshary Quandary, Revisited
I mentioned very early on that finding the greatest plate of koshary out there was one of my purposes in writing this blog. To chronicle the Hunt. To search High and Low for that perfect plate of pure Egyptian goodness. And after I’ve found it, devise a way to bring it into the 21st century.
To understand Koshary is to understand the Egyptian psyche. We need a feast for the eyes, and also a feast for the stomach. This is evident when we sit down at a family dinner: the table is covered end to end in different varieties of food - mountains of rice, Penne and béchamel casserole, Molokheyya soup, plates of chicken and beef and okra stew in a bright red tomato sauce - all vying for valuable real estate in our stomachs, hearts and memories.
Koshary is like a huge dinner table, except its all in one plate. We’ve got the pasta. We’ve got the Rice. We’ve got the bright red tomato sauce. Koshary is a poor man’s dish, so there is no meat or vegetables, but to make things interesting, we’ve added lentils and chickpeas, and topped it with inexpensive fried onions, and drizzled a garlic vinaigrette on top for that extra “kick”
Meanwhile, the French are using soy sauce (!), Italians are making bolognaise ragù with Kobe beef and the Americans sit somewhere between continental and oriental cuisine; the culinary equivalent of an identity crises. One thing all American food has in common, however is that it’s all invariable fatty. Kind of like the American people. You are what you eat after all.
But I digress.
I decided to begin the hunt at Abu El Seed, ostensibly a monument to Egyptian cuisine. Since I had never been there, I spent these past few months asking around, and the feedback I received was generally positive, notable for the fact that while everyone recommended the Sherkasseyya (Chicken with walnut sauce) no one had actually ordered the Koshary. “Why not?” I asked. Responses ranged from “I don’t like koshary” to “why would I pay so much for such a cheap dish?”
I thought to myself: if Abu El Seed was making koshary using the exact same ingredients as Sheikh El Balad or Koshary el Tahrir, then we’ve got problems.
At long last, after enjoying sushi, raving about C+G’s and a thinly veiled rant about the sexuality of beef, I have finally gotten around to telling you, my nonexistent reader, what the Koshary in Abu El Seed is all about.
In a word? Disappointment. Much like Lucille’s “world’s greatest hamburger” moniker, I was promised so much by the hype surrounding the restaurant itself and let down.
It didn’t taste nearly half as good as the cheaper alternatives at KT’s or Abu Tarek. The plate had very little rice, very little lentils and was little more than a bowl of slimy spaghetti strands swimming in a sea of garlicky water. There were so many transgressions committed against this venerable dish:
- The use of spaghetti pasta – cooked al dente, no less! (Koshary is the exception to the Al Dente rule).
- Incorrect proportions of fried onions, lentils, chickpeas, rice and pasta.
- drowning the plate in Garlic water: I’m sure we all agree that the application of the hot red pepper sauce, garlic vinaigrette, and tomato sauce should *always* be left upto the consumer.
In the end, I realized I need to be more selective of whom I ask for restaurant recommendations. Unfailingly, the first thing mentioned is the dessert they “loved”, the fact they were starving when they got there and that the decor is “really cool”. Well, it turns out the dessert they loved was a 2 day old apple tart bought in from the Marriot Bakery and the decor is a cross between a suburban coffee outlet and a sheesha joint, complete with Bamboo chairs.
For Koshary, Abu Seed fails miserablty. And the search continues..
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes.
To understand Koshary is to understand the Egyptian psyche. We need a feast for the eyes, and also a feast for the stomach. This is evident when we sit down at a family dinner: the table is covered end to end in different varieties of food - mountains of rice, Penne and béchamel casserole, Molokheyya soup, plates of chicken and beef and okra stew in a bright red tomato sauce - all vying for valuable real estate in our stomachs, hearts and memories.
Koshary is like a huge dinner table, except its all in one plate. We’ve got the pasta. We’ve got the Rice. We’ve got the bright red tomato sauce. Koshary is a poor man’s dish, so there is no meat or vegetables, but to make things interesting, we’ve added lentils and chickpeas, and topped it with inexpensive fried onions, and drizzled a garlic vinaigrette on top for that extra “kick”
Meanwhile, the French are using soy sauce (!), Italians are making bolognaise ragù with Kobe beef and the Americans sit somewhere between continental and oriental cuisine; the culinary equivalent of an identity crises. One thing all American food has in common, however is that it’s all invariable fatty. Kind of like the American people. You are what you eat after all.
But I digress.
I decided to begin the hunt at Abu El Seed, ostensibly a monument to Egyptian cuisine. Since I had never been there, I spent these past few months asking around, and the feedback I received was generally positive, notable for the fact that while everyone recommended the Sherkasseyya (Chicken with walnut sauce) no one had actually ordered the Koshary. “Why not?” I asked. Responses ranged from “I don’t like koshary” to “why would I pay so much for such a cheap dish?”
I thought to myself: if Abu El Seed was making koshary using the exact same ingredients as Sheikh El Balad or Koshary el Tahrir, then we’ve got problems.
At long last, after enjoying sushi, raving about C+G’s and a thinly veiled rant about the sexuality of beef, I have finally gotten around to telling you, my nonexistent reader, what the Koshary in Abu El Seed is all about.
In a word? Disappointment. Much like Lucille’s “world’s greatest hamburger” moniker, I was promised so much by the hype surrounding the restaurant itself and let down.
It didn’t taste nearly half as good as the cheaper alternatives at KT’s or Abu Tarek. The plate had very little rice, very little lentils and was little more than a bowl of slimy spaghetti strands swimming in a sea of garlicky water. There were so many transgressions committed against this venerable dish:
- The use of spaghetti pasta – cooked al dente, no less! (Koshary is the exception to the Al Dente rule).
- Incorrect proportions of fried onions, lentils, chickpeas, rice and pasta.
- drowning the plate in Garlic water: I’m sure we all agree that the application of the hot red pepper sauce, garlic vinaigrette, and tomato sauce should *always* be left upto the consumer.
In the end, I realized I need to be more selective of whom I ask for restaurant recommendations. Unfailingly, the first thing mentioned is the dessert they “loved”, the fact they were starving when they got there and that the decor is “really cool”. Well, it turns out the dessert they loved was a 2 day old apple tart bought in from the Marriot Bakery and the decor is a cross between a suburban coffee outlet and a sheesha joint, complete with Bamboo chairs.
For Koshary, Abu Seed fails miserablty. And the search continues..
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
No Food, just Thought.
Why is it that Foodies are so passionate about the tasty, tiny morsels of nourishment that pass their lips? What other value does food have, other than the nutritional?
"You're fat, and look as though you should be, but you're not.”
I’ve been thinking; are there similarities between having a good meal, and finding a suitable romantic partner? Foodies are generally romantic people – just not about people. We wax on poetic about the delightfully creamy texture of a well-cooked risotto or the satisfying meaty flavor of a tender wood grilled steak. A man in love can talk for hours on end to anyone who will listen about his lovers' eyes, figure or even the way she answers the phone with an audible smile. Are they so different?
Foodies also experience food "crushes" - Pringles, anyone? They even have their guilty affairs, akin to soliciting prostitution from an unhygienic purveyor of culinary excess. Hot dog stands, Egyptian Liver sandwiches and impossibly cheap meat kofta sandwiches devoured while hot, and thoroughly enjoyable. Eating such food can be a delight in the heat of the moment, but once the foods (and our loins) have cooled down, we begin to see the folly of our hastiness: Half-cooked meat, strange deposits in the overly spiced sauce, the dirty fingers making the meal. It is the culinary equivalent of eXile's “Whore-r stories”. We've all had one of those. That oh so familiar worry of spending the next week with diarrhea hits you just as you’re taking another bite of a Bacteria sandwich from Abdo Talawoth in Nasr City. Still, you throw caution to the wind. Why? Because it just tastes so damn good!
Foodies know this maxim to be true: No man can live on bread alone. There is no "perfect food" - the one and only food I would eat for the rest of my life. Variety is the spice of life, as they say. I love steaks, but I wouldn’t eat it everyday, would I? That having been said, there are meals that I could not live without. Meals that, were they to disappear from my daily routine, would leave my life a grey and dreary mess, or at the very least, a bland string of circumstances, near misses and idle Tuesdays. Perhaps this maxim applies to love as well.
Every red-blooded, meat eating Man’s ultimate sexual fantasy is the threesome. Every true Foodie’s culinary fantasy is a three-course meal, where all the dishes get along well with each other, and there is no drama afterwards.
Is eating like sex? They both echo that primitive and formative pleasure we experienced as babies from putting things in our mouths. And how many times have you heard someone describe a meal as "orgasmic"? I'd be a fucking millionaire if I had a dollar for each time I heard that line. Nevertheless, I do understand the analogy: the right forkful of nourishment is a beautiful thing to experience. The flavors are perfectly balanced: the sweet with the sour, the salty with the bitter. The texture is sublime; creamy pomme puree, silky smooth gravy, robust meat and the delicate crunch of French fried onions. I've had those before, and they were all pure ecstasy.
I wouldn't go as far as to say they were "orgasmic", though, because that would put women in an unfair comparison with a nice, tender grilled Filet of Beef. And such a comparison would only serve to reinforce the notion that most women tend to repeat quite often:
Men treat women like pieces of meat.
Ok, let us analyse that for a second: do you know the care that is given to a piece of meat?
The best meat comes from a happy animal. Wagyu beef and Kobe beef is culled from cows that do nothing but drink beer all day, get massages and listen to soothing music. That way, their flesh has more of the flavorful fat marbling and is more tender and soft, since the cow has not been using the muscle at all. Even when they’re slaughtered, it’s done quickly and painlessly to prevent a lactic acid build-up in the muscles that could ruin the taste and texture of the meat.
A delicate Rib-eye steak is not something to be pounded into wafer thin protein wafers. It is something to be lovingly tended to, carefully trimmed of excess fat, until all you are left with is a succulent and lean piece of flesh. Lightly seasoned, it delights in the heat of the pan, subtly perfumed with rosemary and thyme and presented in all its glory with a minimum of fanfare. A well-cooked piece of meat is a beautiful thing to behold.
Maybe if we gave our food the same care and attention we gave our palates, then our significant others would be happier, more fulfilled. More tender.
A word to the wise; when giving your better half a diamond ring; do not tell her you’re trying to keep the cow happy.
Cooking time... 20 minutes
"You're fat, and look as though you should be, but you're not.”
I’ve been thinking; are there similarities between having a good meal, and finding a suitable romantic partner? Foodies are generally romantic people – just not about people. We wax on poetic about the delightfully creamy texture of a well-cooked risotto or the satisfying meaty flavor of a tender wood grilled steak. A man in love can talk for hours on end to anyone who will listen about his lovers' eyes, figure or even the way she answers the phone with an audible smile. Are they so different?
Foodies also experience food "crushes" - Pringles, anyone? They even have their guilty affairs, akin to soliciting prostitution from an unhygienic purveyor of culinary excess. Hot dog stands, Egyptian Liver sandwiches and impossibly cheap meat kofta sandwiches devoured while hot, and thoroughly enjoyable. Eating such food can be a delight in the heat of the moment, but once the foods (and our loins) have cooled down, we begin to see the folly of our hastiness: Half-cooked meat, strange deposits in the overly spiced sauce, the dirty fingers making the meal. It is the culinary equivalent of eXile's “Whore-r stories”. We've all had one of those. That oh so familiar worry of spending the next week with diarrhea hits you just as you’re taking another bite of a Bacteria sandwich from Abdo Talawoth in Nasr City. Still, you throw caution to the wind. Why? Because it just tastes so damn good!
Foodies know this maxim to be true: No man can live on bread alone. There is no "perfect food" - the one and only food I would eat for the rest of my life. Variety is the spice of life, as they say. I love steaks, but I wouldn’t eat it everyday, would I? That having been said, there are meals that I could not live without. Meals that, were they to disappear from my daily routine, would leave my life a grey and dreary mess, or at the very least, a bland string of circumstances, near misses and idle Tuesdays. Perhaps this maxim applies to love as well.
Every red-blooded, meat eating Man’s ultimate sexual fantasy is the threesome. Every true Foodie’s culinary fantasy is a three-course meal, where all the dishes get along well with each other, and there is no drama afterwards.
Is eating like sex? They both echo that primitive and formative pleasure we experienced as babies from putting things in our mouths. And how many times have you heard someone describe a meal as "orgasmic"? I'd be a fucking millionaire if I had a dollar for each time I heard that line. Nevertheless, I do understand the analogy: the right forkful of nourishment is a beautiful thing to experience. The flavors are perfectly balanced: the sweet with the sour, the salty with the bitter. The texture is sublime; creamy pomme puree, silky smooth gravy, robust meat and the delicate crunch of French fried onions. I've had those before, and they were all pure ecstasy.
I wouldn't go as far as to say they were "orgasmic", though, because that would put women in an unfair comparison with a nice, tender grilled Filet of Beef. And such a comparison would only serve to reinforce the notion that most women tend to repeat quite often:
Men treat women like pieces of meat.
Ok, let us analyse that for a second: do you know the care that is given to a piece of meat?
The best meat comes from a happy animal. Wagyu beef and Kobe beef is culled from cows that do nothing but drink beer all day, get massages and listen to soothing music. That way, their flesh has more of the flavorful fat marbling and is more tender and soft, since the cow has not been using the muscle at all. Even when they’re slaughtered, it’s done quickly and painlessly to prevent a lactic acid build-up in the muscles that could ruin the taste and texture of the meat.
A delicate Rib-eye steak is not something to be pounded into wafer thin protein wafers. It is something to be lovingly tended to, carefully trimmed of excess fat, until all you are left with is a succulent and lean piece of flesh. Lightly seasoned, it delights in the heat of the pan, subtly perfumed with rosemary and thyme and presented in all its glory with a minimum of fanfare. A well-cooked piece of meat is a beautiful thing to behold.
Maybe if we gave our food the same care and attention we gave our palates, then our significant others would be happier, more fulfilled. More tender.
A word to the wise; when giving your better half a diamond ring; do not tell her you’re trying to keep the cow happy.
Cooking time... 20 minutes
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Hanami Sushi - 14 Bites of pure joy!
I've been ranting and raving about Hanami Sushi to everyone who will listen ever since I tried them for the first time earlier this year. This tiny bastion of freshness is highly recommended to sushi lovers in Cairo, and for a much better price, too!
Lets begin with the location itself. sitting in a tiny building overlooking the nile in Giza, the physical space it occupies is quite small. Zamalek natives will identify it with Dido's, a tiny italian eatery specialising in various pastas, and an institution of good italian pasta. However, the decor of Hanami far surpasses that of Dido's, with wood panelling everywhere, acquariums with colorful fish and a small bar that provides a vantage point from which to witness the handiwork of the chefs. There is a nice ambience, and with space for only 23 people, it ensures that the service is fast, efficient and very attentive. At the same time, there is an air of privacy, so taking your significant other there for a nice dinner is not out of the question. This is in direct contrast to Dido's, where you have to strain to hear your partner over the din of the kitchen, loud music and general hubbub of the other patrons.
Hanami, like Dido's, does one thing well - Sushi. While there are other options on the menu, its clearly the sushi that is the star. In addition to mouthwatering Maguro, succulent Sake and excellent Ebi sushi, one can choose to order the Beef or Chicken Teriyaki - but I do not recommend it. Instead, stick to what they do well; and that also happens to include the tempura shrimp and vegetables.
I will not risk overhyping this restaurant; go try it yourself and tell me whether or not you agree!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Casper and Gambini's
No doubt most of Cairo has been to City Stars, and probably a lot of Cairo's youth has hung out, at one time or another, at Casper and Gambini's on the second floor of Phase I.
This Lebanese born establishment sits spatially and gustatorily above another Lebanese export, Crepaway, for whom I have little love and less than no desire to ever try again.
But lets stick with what's good, and C+G certainly has that in spades. The menu is (thankfully) easy to read and offers more than a few intriguing and highly satisfying dishes to choose from.
Although the tag line is "Taste of tradition", I find very little tradition in their food, and that's not a bad thing at all.
There are fluffy fruit pancakes with maple syrup, caramelized onion frittatas and a BLT sandwich for breakfasts (until 12pm noon), complimented fantastically by an selection of fresh juices or a cup of the best French press coffee in Cairo. Yes I know. To Starbuck's zombies, this is blasphemy, but King Buck's got nothing on the C+G.
The rest of the menu features a wide selection of appetizers, salads, soups and sandwiches, main courses (Pastas and meat/seafood) and a page dedicated to the weekly specials (1 new dish from each section). The specials are definitely worth a try, if, like me, you want to be excited and experience an adventure. To borrow Marco Pierre White's words, let C+G "take you by the hand and guide you through" a wonderful meal.
The desserts, however do not shine as brightly as their savory brethren. The chocolate cake is barely passable, and the cheesecake leaves much to be desired. Not that they're bad, but they're just not *as* good as the rest of the fare on offer. Except one thing: The chocolate Fondant. This is a revelation in desserts, and I recommend ordering one for your partner, or else you'll be fighting over the crumbs. The seemingly innocuous mound of dark chocolate cake holds inside it a river of molten chocolate itching to attack the pure white dome of vanilla ice cream sitting centimeters away. I caught myself ready to lick the plate many a time, only to be stopped by breeding, manners and a disapproving look from my fiance.
All ingredients are fresh, and it shows: starting with the complimentary bread basket, through to the crisp, crunchy and oh-so-succulent salads. Even the sauteed vegetables supporting the various grilled meats and pastas, often overlooked or added as an afterthought at other eateries, are brightly colored and cooked to perfection. The cuts of Fish, chicken or beef are expertly trimmed and shaped, and cooked to order. Only once dd they get my fillet of beef wrong, but they were forgiven - even at well done, it was still tender and flavorful.
More importantly, eating a 3 course meal doesn't mean you've broken the bank nor your waist line. The quantity of food seems to be carefully calculated: not too little so it doesn't seem like they're cheating you on the bill, but just enough so they don't have to cart you out in a wheel barrow. The credo of this establishment is "Some people eat to live, some people eat to live longer". God bless them, they *want* me to live!
I feel like Messrs Casper and Gambini really *do* care about me, and it shows even in the attentiveness of their staff. I've found the service to be quite exceptional, and after eating there regularly for the better part of the past year, I can confidently declare that they have never been tardy. The food is timed perfectly depending on the number of courses ordered and are at hand when you need them, and invisible when you don't.
There is, however, a black hole at the City Stars location: underneath the obligatory flat screen TV, there are two comfortable brown leather couches facing each other. If you enjoy being left alone, then sit there. Keep in mind, you could be there till the end of time before a waiter voluntarily notices you.
In truth, all one really needs to enjoy this place to the fullest is good company and a good appetite. Break bread with some close friends and family, or reconnect with old ones. In that, I suppose, is where the taste of tradition is.
RECOMMENDED:
This Lebanese born establishment sits spatially and gustatorily above another Lebanese export, Crepaway, for whom I have little love and less than no desire to ever try again.
But lets stick with what's good, and C+G certainly has that in spades. The menu is (thankfully) easy to read and offers more than a few intriguing and highly satisfying dishes to choose from.
Although the tag line is "Taste of tradition", I find very little tradition in their food, and that's not a bad thing at all.
There are fluffy fruit pancakes with maple syrup, caramelized onion frittatas and a BLT sandwich for breakfasts (until 12pm noon), complimented fantastically by an selection of fresh juices or a cup of the best French press coffee in Cairo. Yes I know. To Starbuck's zombies, this is blasphemy, but King Buck's got nothing on the C+G.
The rest of the menu features a wide selection of appetizers, salads, soups and sandwiches, main courses (Pastas and meat/seafood) and a page dedicated to the weekly specials (1 new dish from each section). The specials are definitely worth a try, if, like me, you want to be excited and experience an adventure. To borrow Marco Pierre White's words, let C+G "take you by the hand and guide you through" a wonderful meal.
The desserts, however do not shine as brightly as their savory brethren. The chocolate cake is barely passable, and the cheesecake leaves much to be desired. Not that they're bad, but they're just not *as* good as the rest of the fare on offer. Except one thing: The chocolate Fondant. This is a revelation in desserts, and I recommend ordering one for your partner, or else you'll be fighting over the crumbs. The seemingly innocuous mound of dark chocolate cake holds inside it a river of molten chocolate itching to attack the pure white dome of vanilla ice cream sitting centimeters away. I caught myself ready to lick the plate many a time, only to be stopped by breeding, manners and a disapproving look from my fiance.
All ingredients are fresh, and it shows: starting with the complimentary bread basket, through to the crisp, crunchy and oh-so-succulent salads. Even the sauteed vegetables supporting the various grilled meats and pastas, often overlooked or added as an afterthought at other eateries, are brightly colored and cooked to perfection. The cuts of Fish, chicken or beef are expertly trimmed and shaped, and cooked to order. Only once dd they get my fillet of beef wrong, but they were forgiven - even at well done, it was still tender and flavorful.
More importantly, eating a 3 course meal doesn't mean you've broken the bank nor your waist line. The quantity of food seems to be carefully calculated: not too little so it doesn't seem like they're cheating you on the bill, but just enough so they don't have to cart you out in a wheel barrow. The credo of this establishment is "Some people eat to live, some people eat to live longer". God bless them, they *want* me to live!
I feel like Messrs Casper and Gambini really *do* care about me, and it shows even in the attentiveness of their staff. I've found the service to be quite exceptional, and after eating there regularly for the better part of the past year, I can confidently declare that they have never been tardy. The food is timed perfectly depending on the number of courses ordered and are at hand when you need them, and invisible when you don't.
There is, however, a black hole at the City Stars location: underneath the obligatory flat screen TV, there are two comfortable brown leather couches facing each other. If you enjoy being left alone, then sit there. Keep in mind, you could be there till the end of time before a waiter voluntarily notices you.
In truth, all one really needs to enjoy this place to the fullest is good company and a good appetite. Break bread with some close friends and family, or reconnect with old ones. In that, I suppose, is where the taste of tradition is.
RECOMMENDED:
- Salad: Cobb Salad
- Soup: Wild Mushroom Soup
- Sandwiches: Turkey Frontega Press, Grilled Halloumi, Club Sandwich (bread NOT toasted), Philly Cheese steak (focacia bread, untoasted)
- Pasta: Pesto Fusilli, Creamy Tandoori Linguini
- From the Grill/Oven: To Die for Salmon, Grilled Tenderloin, Chicken under a brick
- Appetizers: selection of 3 tapas: Jumbo Prawns, Spring Rolls, Fried Mozzarella
- Desserts: Chocolate Fondant
- Breakfast: Pancakes, Fritatta
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Lucille's burgers are bust.
A couple of months ago, my older brother called me from New Haven to tell me that, according to Time magazine, the best hamburger in the world resides at Lucille's, a Maadi restaurant that is the closest thing we have here in Cairo to a greasy spoon diner.
Now as far as I am concerned, the best hamburger in the world is at Louis' Lunch in New Haven, CT, where it was invented. But I decided to give Lucille's burgers a try. Their pancakes, hash browns and eggs were fantastic, so there has to be some truth to the claim, right?
Wrong.
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but believe you me, the "imported Australian cheddar" is the worst type of cheese you can buy here, not to mention the cheapest. When melted, it leaves behind a waxy yellow glob and sweats a thick slick of vegetable oil.
The beef patty itself was nothing spectacular, in fact, it was short of ordinary, and easily surpassed by the burgers at Amo Hosny, the current wunderkind of Egyptian Fast Food. My burger arrived blackened by the griddle on the outside, and medium rare in the middle, and yet, it was still terribly dry.
As for the bun, it was neither "sweet" nor "nicely toasted" - It had a slathering of mayonnaise and was used to wipe off the grease from the griddle, so I was helped to a double dose of the Fish Sauce that is painted on the burgers as they're cooked.
Lucille's may be a decent American greasy spoon, indeed the only one in Cairo, and their breakfasts are fantastic - but I cannot extend the same compliment to their burgers. I would use the words "disappointment", "colossal" and "failure".
For the best burgers in Cairo, I recommend Route 66 also in Maadi - unfortunately, they're renovating at the moment and should be reopened within the coming months.
Stay tuned.
Now as far as I am concerned, the best hamburger in the world is at Louis' Lunch in New Haven, CT, where it was invented. But I decided to give Lucille's burgers a try. Their pancakes, hash browns and eggs were fantastic, so there has to be some truth to the claim, right?
Wrong.
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but believe you me, the "imported Australian cheddar" is the worst type of cheese you can buy here, not to mention the cheapest. When melted, it leaves behind a waxy yellow glob and sweats a thick slick of vegetable oil.
The beef patty itself was nothing spectacular, in fact, it was short of ordinary, and easily surpassed by the burgers at Amo Hosny, the current wunderkind of Egyptian Fast Food. My burger arrived blackened by the griddle on the outside, and medium rare in the middle, and yet, it was still terribly dry.
As for the bun, it was neither "sweet" nor "nicely toasted" - It had a slathering of mayonnaise and was used to wipe off the grease from the griddle, so I was helped to a double dose of the Fish Sauce that is painted on the burgers as they're cooked.
Lucille's may be a decent American greasy spoon, indeed the only one in Cairo, and their breakfasts are fantastic - but I cannot extend the same compliment to their burgers. I would use the words "disappointment", "colossal" and "failure".
For the best burgers in Cairo, I recommend Route 66 also in Maadi - unfortunately, they're renovating at the moment and should be reopened within the coming months.
Stay tuned.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Using Pastirma
What the hell is Pastirma anyway? And shouldn't I be saying Pastrami?
While both share a very similar origin, and actually taste very similar; they are two seperate types of salted red meat. Pastirma, available in all former Ottoman countries, is stronger tasting and darker in color than the western Pastrami. These former Ottoman countries are for the most part Muslim, and share with the Jewish faith the tenent of eating only Kosher/Halal food - with a special ban on eating Pork products. Muslims also do not drink alchohol, so for a gourmand like myself, cooking with wine is out of the question - more on that later.
Here in Egypt, Pastirma is used in a similar fashion to Bacon - as a breakfast meat, and is commonly seen mixed in with scrambled eggs. But it has almost no use in an egyptian kitchen otherwise.
I've been thinking - why dont we use Pastirma as a substitute for Pork Bacon? The fat content in Pastirma is actually high enough to provide its own cooking oil, and yet it still retains a distinctly beef flavor. It is certainly alot more flavorful than the Breakfast Beef strips available at your local Stop and Shop.
To that end, I've started using Pastirma in my own modified recipe for Chateubriand, as well as using locally made cheese and mint as a stuffing for chicken breasts wrapped in Pastirma. It has worked beautifully. But the fun doesn't stop there: do you want to elevate your mashed potatoes to a new level? Take a few strips of pastrami and put them on a tray in a 350F oven for about 7 minutes. when they come out, just break them into pieces and mix them in with sour cream, butter and chives. Viola! Heavenly creamy mashed potatoes.
Here are some tips for buying Pastirma here in cairo:
1- Make sure your Deli is clean - ideally, the pastirma should be a deep red color, not brown. If possible, ask the man to wipe down the cutting machine before preparing your order.
2- Tell him to cut it thinly. I mean THIN. Paper thin. there's alot of flavor in there, so having a thick slab of pastrami even 3mm thick will overpower anything you wrap it in. Also, cutting it thinly makes it easier to use as a wrap, since thick slices tend to break up along the lines of fat in the meat.
3- If possible, ask for Garlic free pastirma - or just buy the Al-Marai brand. This brand tastes perfect - mild, yet still distinctly pastirma, and without leaving that lingering smell on your fingers. Its texture is also perfect, very smooth. Plus, it actually cuts alot better than the other brands; so the Deli man won't have a problem cutting it thinly.
4- If you live in Nasr City/Heliopolis, just go to Spinney's. The Deli there is fantastic. Tell the man you want Al-Marai Pastirma sliced "like paper", and make sure he shows you a sample. It's not being mean - it's being assertive. While you're there, pick up their Beef Filets cut conveniently into round steaks. They will come in handy very soon!
While both share a very similar origin, and actually taste very similar; they are two seperate types of salted red meat. Pastirma, available in all former Ottoman countries, is stronger tasting and darker in color than the western Pastrami. These former Ottoman countries are for the most part Muslim, and share with the Jewish faith the tenent of eating only Kosher/Halal food - with a special ban on eating Pork products. Muslims also do not drink alchohol, so for a gourmand like myself, cooking with wine is out of the question - more on that later.
Here in Egypt, Pastirma is used in a similar fashion to Bacon - as a breakfast meat, and is commonly seen mixed in with scrambled eggs. But it has almost no use in an egyptian kitchen otherwise.
I've been thinking - why dont we use Pastirma as a substitute for Pork Bacon? The fat content in Pastirma is actually high enough to provide its own cooking oil, and yet it still retains a distinctly beef flavor. It is certainly alot more flavorful than the Breakfast Beef strips available at your local Stop and Shop.
To that end, I've started using Pastirma in my own modified recipe for Chateubriand, as well as using locally made cheese and mint as a stuffing for chicken breasts wrapped in Pastirma. It has worked beautifully. But the fun doesn't stop there: do you want to elevate your mashed potatoes to a new level? Take a few strips of pastrami and put them on a tray in a 350F oven for about 7 minutes. when they come out, just break them into pieces and mix them in with sour cream, butter and chives. Viola! Heavenly creamy mashed potatoes.
Here are some tips for buying Pastirma here in cairo:
1- Make sure your Deli is clean - ideally, the pastirma should be a deep red color, not brown. If possible, ask the man to wipe down the cutting machine before preparing your order.
2- Tell him to cut it thinly. I mean THIN. Paper thin. there's alot of flavor in there, so having a thick slab of pastrami even 3mm thick will overpower anything you wrap it in. Also, cutting it thinly makes it easier to use as a wrap, since thick slices tend to break up along the lines of fat in the meat.
3- If possible, ask for Garlic free pastirma - or just buy the Al-Marai brand. This brand tastes perfect - mild, yet still distinctly pastirma, and without leaving that lingering smell on your fingers. Its texture is also perfect, very smooth. Plus, it actually cuts alot better than the other brands; so the Deli man won't have a problem cutting it thinly.
4- If you live in Nasr City/Heliopolis, just go to Spinney's. The Deli there is fantastic. Tell the man you want Al-Marai Pastirma sliced "like paper", and make sure he shows you a sample. It's not being mean - it's being assertive. While you're there, pick up their Beef Filets cut conveniently into round steaks. They will come in handy very soon!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Reinventing Koshari.
Koshari: Rice, Lentils, Macaroni, fried onions and tomato sauce. Doesn't sound too glamorous, does it?
How about:
Black Lentil Risotto with Caramelised onions on a bed of fresh pasta Al-dente finished with a tomato-garlic sauce. [Description is copyrighted, 2007 - Don't snatch.]
I've got to have something to compare it with, right? As far as I know, the only purveyor of fine traditional egyptian (not lebanese) cuisine is Abu-El Sid. They've got Koshari, so I'm going to try theirs. If anyone can recommend another "fine egyptian food" restaurant, leave me a comment with their fone number and address.
How about:
Black Lentil Risotto with Caramelised onions on a bed of fresh pasta Al-dente finished with a tomato-garlic sauce. [Description is copyrighted, 2007 - Don't snatch.]
"What's the most important element of cooking?"So the transformation begins with choosing a high quality grain rice and making fresh pasta.
"Ingredients"
- Chef!
I've got to have something to compare it with, right? As far as I know, the only purveyor of fine traditional egyptian (not lebanese) cuisine is Abu-El Sid. They've got Koshari, so I'm going to try theirs. If anyone can recommend another "fine egyptian food" restaurant, leave me a comment with their fone number and address.
Monday, March 26, 2007
"This is a Chronicling..."
So the task I've set myself is as follows: to design a simple menu. 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 puddings. I've also added a curveball: to use egyptian ingredients in new and novel ways. So far, this has led to recent experiments with istambulli cheese and "basturma". I'm glad to say they have been a success; with only minor tweaking needed to get the dishes upto a consistently excellent standard.
We've got some great fresh ingredients here; from the produce down to the spices. It took a bit of doing, but I managed to decipher alot of the arabic names [Guzt el teeb is nutmeg!].
So now the plan is to chronicle my own cooking experiences and ideas, and also get out there and see what Cairo has to offer a 27-year old Male in search of the perfect 3 course meal. I'm not going to try and post recipes here - you can goto AllRecipes for those - I'm just gonna talk food. Comment or don't; read or don't - this site is more for me than it is for you - kind of like my living room :D
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