The boast ran in the leafy Cairene neighbourhood that no restaurant in Maadi could offer a more satisfying selection of Franco-Asian fusion cuisine — or if you have a sweet tooth, mouth-watering macaron or traditional French pastries of an impeccable provenance. Filet de Mérou poílé aux aromates, pan seared grouper fish fillet dressed with almond condiment and served over a bed of saffron flavoured aromatic basmati rice was Queen Tiye's choice dish, a most enticing main course she chortled with a wicked glint in her eye. First, though, she had a salade Parisienne as a starter — a typically French mixed Mesclun salad, crouton of goat cheese, cherry tomato, mushroom with Dijon mustard. When heated, the cheese melted and the tomato wilted a little, enhancing the tart aromas the salad exuded. “It is nippy outside; perhaps I'll have a velouté de potiron — pumpkin soup,” she furiously fluttered her heavily mascara-coated eyelashes. “Gluttony is not a secret vice,” noted Orson Welles. And, La Gourmandaise is French for gluttony — the restaurant is the perfect place for the ravenous eater. “We have a 20 per cent discount after 10pm,” a pasty-faced waiter whispered. “Let's share a pizza Rostica — mozzarella, tuna, anchovies, red pepper, black olives, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Or, pizza Amore Mio,” she gasped for breath, clutching her pearls. “A glutton is one who digs her grave with her teeth,” Queen Tiye cut her short. Relaxed and laid back, Redhead went for salade La Gourmandise — smoked salmon, endive, iceberg lettuce, mushroom, avocado, apple, asparagus, corriander, sesame, almond a delicious lace of Parmesan cheese, and showered with balsamic dressing. Platinum Blonde toyed with the idea of Quiche Lorraine and then decided on Quiche salmon-shrimp — seafood and asparagus served with Mesclun salad. For a main course, Redhead opted for the Thai red chicken curry served with stir fried rice. “Like a glutton, pray God her tongue be hotter,” snarled Platinum Blonde paraphrasing Shakespeare. She wavered between volaille grille — grilled chicken served with sautéed seasonal vegetables and potatoes forestiere — and volaille au citron — chicken pan fried with butter lemon sauce and broccoli. She settled on the latter. I faced a similar dilemma. “J'ai mangé par gourmandise, et non pas par fain,” aptly goes a French proverb — I ate for the fondness of food and not for hunger. The escalope de veau Viennoise — veal tenderloin escalope panné, exotic condiments, served with crushed zuccini and tomato gratin was tempting. However, I fancied the equally appetising tournedos de boeuf férré au poivre noire — grilled marinated beef tenderloin, Dauphinois potato gratin and sautéed seasonal vegetables drenched in a black pepper sauce. La Gourmandise also passed the litmus test of offering what I craved at that time of the night: Charlotte dragée rose — biscuit cuiller, raspberry mousse and almond dragée mousse. Queen Tiye insisted on the Tout Chocolat — sablé Breton chocolate, mousse sabayon chocolate, cremeux cocoa, and buiscuit hazlenut chocolat. Not to be outdone Platinum Blonde studied the cake selection carefully. Redhead went straight for raspberry. “Cheese cake aux framboises — wild raspberries — yummy,” she snorted nonchalantly. “They surfeited with honey and began... To loathe the taste of sweetness,” Queen Tiye quoted Shakespeare. “Rocher —chocolate mousse, caramel cream and hazelnut crumble — please,” panted Platinum Blonde. “Or, perhaps the Piedmont — Dacquoise hazelnut and almond with Bavarian praline? I'm in two minds,” she whooped excitedly. La Gourmandise Maadi
