Restaurant review: The price of fame As we hang flags from our balconies in support of our troops on the football field, let us not forget the brethren who have fed us big and strong I have just understood a market phenomenon: one of the disadvantages of becoming a household name is that you miss out on media attention, since everyone thinks you've already been covered, and extensively too. Especially if that everyone is me -- as I have just realised that, while I always imagined that Mo'men must have been subjected to the inquisition of this column long ago, it turns out that it has been spared. Over the years -- and the branches that spread like wild fire across the country -- Mo'men achieved such status that we quickly forgot what a young venture it actually is. This will not do at all. Their success should be rewarded, not ignored. At a time when Egypt was opening itself to international franchises, at the very time when many readily queued (myself included) for a burger and fries from long-awaited American fast food chains finally opening their golden gates in the city, Egyptian youths with courage set out to raise the national flag higher with their projects. Two have succeeded brilliantly: Cook Door and Mo'men. Both ventures began small, achieving recognition among the quickly-widening base of eaters requesting haste among the ingredients of their meal. After they became meeting points for students during the school year, for quick bites before and after private classes in the afternoon, their popularity picked up even more in the summer months. In their own way, whether or not they are aware of it, and whether for better or for worse, Cook Door and Mo'men have played a leading role in shaping male-female interactions among this generation of Egyptian students who are today's adults. But enough of that; we need to get that delightful shade of blue that has branded Mo'men in a job well done. The only problem I faced when I entered their newly opened high-profile branch in Heliopolis's Triumph Square was the quantity of intriguing choices on the menu. First of all, fast food chains as we know them are mostly specialised in one type of food or sandwiches, with a sprinkle of extra options at the bottom of the menu just to spice life up. But at Mo'men's the section devoted to shrimp sandwiches alone offers a handful of options to choose from: they can be grilled or fried or crispy or with sauce, among those that I remember. I had a small Crispy Shrimp sandwich stuffed with fleshy medium-sized shrimps covered in a golden batter and complimented with the flavours of iceberg lettuce and a mayo-based Tartar- like sauce. With meat I had a similar case of embarrass du choix, which ended in a decisive patriotic move to opt for a small Kofta sandwich (why fill your tummy with one flavour when you can go for small and fill it with two?). Here I will allow myself to criticise the presence of tomatoes cubes as I saw no room for it along with the tehina which served the kofta very nicely on its own. Yet, as far as kofta sandwiches go, this one was good enough for the little one to demand half of it before I had even had the chance to take a first bite. As he indulged in his Kids' Meal (and feasted on the thought of opening the mini-Connect-Four game that came with it), I sneaked back to the counter and spotted a number of decent-looking desert possibilities. Crusty rings stuffed with chocolate fudge, nougat with nuts and candied fruit, cheesecake and, last but certainly not least, Umm Ali. Though they all looked attractive, nothing breaks my heart like chocolate, and the colour of that ring looked like it was going to leave me smiling. Perhaps the only thing that I could mention as a downside when it comes to my experience at Mo'men (one that it shares with its other Egyptian twin) is a slight indifference on behalf of the personnel. We know it's been tough, we know you made it nevertheless, and we are indeed proud, but do show us a bit of lovin', won't you? Mo'men Triumph Square, Heliopolis By Injy El-Kashef
