Restaurant review: Triple the dose Is it time for my medication, or yours? It's a furnace outside, and so crowded. Everyone suddenly seems to forget what little driving skills they possess, come a bit of rain or a burst of sunshine. Has the fine line between madness and sanity just gotten finer on the city streets? And then you step into the cool for a bite between two hectic errands -- City Stars, and the living is easy. Something about Café Le Marché reminded me of Frankfurt Airport; it must have been a subtle colour scheme, or the openness of the seating arrangement; perhaps the counter, or a certain sparkle of the glasses? I am not really sure, but I was drawn to it with reminiscences of a delightful hour in transit between Cairo and DC. I sat down on the outermost table, watching passers-by after the waitress flashed her smile and promptly handed me a promising menu. Choice, as always in this hypermall, is a little tough to make, and at Le Marché it was no exception. In a nutshell, it all seemed delicious (I had already taken a reconnaissance peak through a cursory scrutiny of the cakes on display). Ultimately, I opted for a Smoked Salmon Panini -- it had been long enough since my last pink slivers of expensive fish. The only complaint one may have with the service is its speed -- or lack thereof -- as well as a slight lack of training in surface rearrangement to accommodate the order once it materialised. My ashtray, for example, was left on the chair next to mine for supposed lack of space, while unnecessary items crowded the marble table top for no good reason. Once my sandwich arrived, however, I was ready to eat it cross-legged on the floor if need be. It looked simply scrumptious. The bread was a huge bran bagel that looked, felt, and tasted just as it should -- fluffy inside and crisp outside, too big to lift off the plate, too high to eat with cutlery -- fresh, healthy, challenging. As for the filling, it was far more generous than most places offering similar fare: there were layers upon layers of fresh slices between crisp lettuce, an abundance of capers, sweet tomatoes and a nice smudge of butter. It was perfect. Nor did it sit lonely on the plate, though so big; it was also accompanied by similarly perfect French fries -- the long and golden type, not entirely drained of all frying oil, with a sprinkle of coarse salt grains, just like at granny's. The waitress inquired after my satisfaction when she saw that I had not finished my sandwich. I was very satisfied, I replied, but if I eat it all, where would I find room for the triple chocolate fudge cake I had spied with my little eye upon entering? A frothy and creamy Cafe Macchiato came dancing in its tall glass next to the chocolate massacre I had chosen for myself. Well, something needs to rectify this mood before I embark on the battlefield again among Cairo traffic, and what better than chocolate to up one's dose of tolerance? Just thinking of the sponge cake, a rich burnt cocoa in colour, with its three layers of moist, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge and the extra drizzle of chocolate sauce flowing down the edges makes writing this review a torturous task in itself. I want some now! That cake is just a must try -- if you are a chocolate aficionado you will probably faint. And if your sweet tooth is more inclined towards lighter colours, there is a carrot cake over there just waiting to be ravaged. My lunch at Café Le Marché was a wonderful moment of sanity among the day's madness, and the bill offered yet another pleasant surprise. In its calm and quiet setting, with its little tables and its huge dishes, this fantastic meal came to only LE49. Café Le Marché City Stars Nasr City By Injy El-Kashef
