Restaurant review: Constructive distraction An abundance of rabbits and not a sheesha in sight Heliopolis' Abu Bakr Al-Seddiq Square is now home to Egypt's first ceramics café. The alluring outdoor picnic-table seating is spacious and well-shaded, and draws you into the stately two storey villa where, instantly, the labour of patrons past is on display inside the café. Tigers, deceased pop singers, landscapes of pyramids and palm trees, and even abstract patterns charge at you, insisting you waste no time tapping into your own personal inspiration. The roominess isn't compromised inside either. The white marble tables and the deliberate distances between them were chosen with frolicking kids in mind. The bright lights that bring out the custard in the walls' plaster are softened by a clever choice of angles, and a darker wood than the outdoor picnic variety is used for ornamentation. It frames all the doorways, cushioned chairs, as well as the scenic depictions -- from lakeside bungalows and flower gardens to a 1950s hair salon -- of the paintings on the walls, and the tilted ceiling that gives off the impression of a mystery-laden attic beyond. The aesthetically pleasing ground-floor fireplace is not functional but flanked nevertheless by floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with coffee-table books on pottery and ceramics, just to get you in the mood. The snack based menu also serves this function. The starters here range from onion rings and chicken fingers to samosas and croquets. And breakfast, in the form of sausage or cheese omelets or a continental bakery basket of toasts and croissants with jam and butter, is available all day. The "paint your pot" process is outlined on a handout that doubles as your place mat. The first step is to pick your bisque from a display centre featuring mugs, plates, ashtrays, mushrooms, cookie jars, elephants, and all sorts of rabbits, from a giddy Easter bunny to the white critter that forever changed Alice's perspective (prices range from LE10 to LE90). Next comes pencilling and painting, with a choice of over 40 watercolours. They'll glaze and fire it, and finally, like any tangible item in this city, they'll deliver it to your door a week later. Excruciatingly slow waiters, clad in black aprons and orange shirts, bear the heftier edibles that will fuel your artistic process. The toast selection includes Croque Madame, salami and cheddar, and roast beef. Savory crêpes of turkey, chicken, and smoked salmon come in sizable portions and you're not shortchanged on the fillings either. The standardised assortment of pasta dishes, cold cut sandwiches, and salads is also available, alongside the customary coffee shop beverages, including a deathly cute personalised coffee plunger. Owner Maher Boghdadi cites an urgent need to change the shebab (youth)-of-today's time-killing habits as major impetus for this enterprise. Dismayed at the ever-growing numbers charcoaling their lungs with sheeshas, Boghdadi would rather see their leisurely distractions take a more constructive turn rather than compromising their health, hence the opportunity for personal expression, or even just doodling. And though fully aware of how price-prohibitive the establishment is for most shebab, Boghdadi is pleased with the charged, hyper busy influx on schooldays (which may explain why the waiters adopt a deathly pace on weekends), and optimistic that some small change may be engendered. The crowd has definitely proven to be eclectic, from trendsetting twentysomethings, to intensely focused artists working intently in their private corners, and toddlers spilling paint on their aggrieved fathers' shirts. The finished product will almost invariably warrant dessert. Chocolate and carrot cake, ice cream (remember tutti frutti?), banana splits, and fresh fruit crêpes are ready to pat you on the back if you've toiled sufficiently. This is not a place you're likely to leave willingly, and with many a bisque and appetising snack in store, there's plenty of reason to stay. IL Pennello Ceramic Café 2 Omar Ibn Al-Khattab St, Abu Bakr Al-Seddiq Sq, Heliopolis. Tel: (02) 241 7603 Opening Hours: 9am -- 1am. Coffee, snacks & ceramic mugs for two: LE100. By Waleed Marzouk
