Restaurant review: Home truths East beats west in the mutton taste-off, writes Gamal Nkrumah We had spent the day at The Beach, a fantastic swimming pool with simulated waves and an artificial sandy beach. Ropes of water streamed from slides, fountains sprang from artificial islets and rivulets tumbled down gentle slopes. It was soon after sunset that I suggested that we chose one of the JW Marriott's restaurants to have dinner. The children were by now ravenous. Under cover of darkness, we made our way to Ahlein [Welcome in Lebanese colloquial Arabic] in the hope that we would be made truly welcome. And, we were not disappointed. The congenial waiter soon arrived and described the restaurant's specialties. The exhilarating tasting menu obviously had a strong sense of place -- Lebanese mezzeh, Moroccan tagines and Egyptian Umm Ali for desert. It was proving to be a delightful evening. I looked towards the eastern horizon. The moon was only a few days from full. That was outdoors. Indoors, the atmosphere was cozy. Candlelit tables, elegant chandeliers, comfortable seating. Ahlein is the paragon of authenticity. Traditional cuisine in the region is combined with contemporary culinary inventions to produce excellent results. The Lebanese and Maghrebi dishes on offer, however, were reassuringly old-school. As wave after wave of Lebanese mezzeh arrived in exquisite earthenware bowls, Youssef popped his head from under the table to watch the excitement. I picked him up and thrust him into his elder's brother's arms. Fastidious Youssef was most reluctant to try certain dips. His elder brother, Karim, felt a prickle of irritation, it was palpable. He was obviously fond of the dips. The toumiya, garlic dip, was simply divine. And, the lebna, soft Lebanese white cheese, filled the mouth with its creamy freshness. I explained that mezzeh was one of the great culinary traditions of the Levant. The breads accompanying the mezzeh were equally delicious. They succumbed to the simple pleasure of freshly baked pita bread and salt. I felt a quick upthrust of admiration for them. The tabouleh was prepared as it is in the valleys and slopes of Mount Lebanon -- the bourghol, or cracked wheat, was moist and tender, but not soggy. Every country has its distinctive dish, and for Lebanon it is unquestionably tabouleh. The parsley, fresh and overwhelming, the lemon zest, dash of olive oil and delectable diced tomatoes added to the flavoursome Levantine salad. It is not desperately easy to come across a good Lebanese restaurant in Cairo, I elucidated. Egyptians and Lebanese prepare moloukhiya in very different ways, for example, I told he boys. But, at Ahlein we were neither going to try the Egyptian nor the Lebanese variety of moloukhiya -- the corchorus olitorius, better known as Jew's Mallow in the English-speaking world. I opted for couscous, the dietary staple of Northwest Africa -- the Maghreb. Mutton is a meat that to my mind most certainly tastes better cooked in the Oriental culinary traditions than in the Western fashion. At Ahlein, the mutton was mouthwatering. The meat was basted generously with a mixture of clarified butter, or ghee, and rosemary. The Moroccan mutton tagine was a masterpiece. The freshly roasted and ground cumin toasted to perfection was generously sprinkled over the tagine. The excess fat was trimmed off, but the meat was tender and exceptionally juicy. The potatoes cooked to perfection, carrots and celery, bell peppers -- green, yellow and red were thrown in for both vitamins and flavour. The strains of Oriental music suddenly drifted in from the centre of the restaurant. The enchanting melodies of Sayed Mansour filled the air. The cozy restaurant was suddenly alive and full of life. Poetic lament for lost love was enhanced by the playful banter of the oud and tambourine. As our meal was being cleared, I knew it was now time to call it a day. The boys wanted to stay on, of course. It was fruitless to attempt to convince them otherwise. In exasperation, I ordered tea with sprigs of fresh mint to wash down the delicious meal. JW Marriott Ring Road, Mirage City Tel: 411 5588
