Restaurant review: Cedar lights on the Nile Not all that glitters is lebanese There is something fleeting about dining on boats, moored or sailing. You "board" into a quick culinary trip and hop back again to terrestrial reality as soon as you are done. The drastic shift in environment from land to water and back to land usually means your trip turns into one of two extremes: a memorable getaway you are eager to return to or a cheesy and contrived aquatic experience. The choice between the two sharpens when you are in my shoes, a Lebanese die hard fan of his home country's cuisine sampling its dishes at a boat restaurant on the majestic Nile. Dragging one of my favourite Egyptian friends along with me, I set out to explore Layaleena (Our nights). The Lebanese restaurant is on the upper deck of the Imperial, a hard-to-miss boat turned into a dining and dancing venue in Zamalek. On the one hand, the trip was anything but cheesy (the relaxed and simple set up made for a great view of a silent and enchanting Cairo and its passing Nile traffic. Go with friends you are comfortable with -- First dates not recommended). On the other hand, it was not quite the culinary getaway into a flavourful land of Lebanese meals one would have hoped for. Contrary to the posh style of most of the other restaurants, Layaleena is sparsely furnished with wooden tables covered with light pink covers. A large canopy spread over a metal grid covers the dimly-lit place and is removed during the hot summer days for a nice sky view. The glass façade of the deck interspersed with mirrors and lamps adds to the feeling of outdoors and Nile sightseeing. The deck is also equipped with a band stand used during private parties you can book in advance (You can bring your own band or leave that to the owners to arrange). Recognising that no Lebanese meal is complete without several plates of mezza, (an assortment of vegetable, bean and rice based appetisers ranging in price from LE14 to LE26) my friend and I ordered tabbouli, hummus, and rice-stuffed vine leaves. Ground to perfection and spread into a pasty lemony dip topped with olive oil and boiled chick peas; the hummus is a veritable delight and a must. The hot shami bread made our constant hummus dipping all the more fun. The tabbouli is less gratifying, with the borgoul still quite crunchy and the parsley not as finely chopped as required. The vine leaves are well cooked (my friend thought they were overcooked) and a delicacy worth the trial. Having had our fill of the mezza, we embarked on a trial of grilled meat. Main dishes include a variety of grilled white and red meat that comes with a side order of French fries, rice or mashed potatoes (puree). My companion opted for the lamb cutlets (LE45) and I picked the Mix Grill (LE47), an assortment of chicken, beef, and lamb chops. Portions were generous, including the side item of fries or puree (stay away from the latter, which was extremely watery). But the meat could have been more thoroughly marinated and presented in a more traditional Lebanese way, tucked inside a loaf of bread whose bottom is covered with a dry mix of chopped onions, parsley, and black pepper. Having had our fill of appetisers and meat, we opted to skip dessert. The menu barely had any main traditional Lebanese sweets. We had our fill, and we also had our minds set that it is best to drop by Layaleena for a dip into Lebanese mezzas, not a full dive into the heavyweight plates the internationally recognised kitchen normally has to offer. And for those more inclined to finish off their excursion with the least traditional of ways, there is the encounter with Um Yasser. An elderly black-draped augur who says is a frequent visitor of Layaleena, she will read your fortune using a small handkerchief, your name, and the LE20-30 sum you decided not to spend on dessert. Layaleena Facing Gezira Club main entrance Saraya Al-Gezira St, Zamalek. Tel: 736 5796. Open 8pm until 3am.
