Restaurant review: Respect your steak On the fine points of carnivorous art "Who ordered ze rib-eye steak well-done?" asked the compact man in admonishing tones. Nor did his gaze soften when I pointed to my nine-month pregnant belly: "Your kidz -- zey can get no vitamins from a badly cooked steak. And it will taste like ze shooz I'm wearing." Looking down, I caved in: either I should take my cut cooked properly -- i.e. according to the recommendations of this man -- or choose a cut that could be cooked the way I wanted. Having been served inferior steaks in Cairo restaurants for years, the seriousness with which Eric Dunoyer took his meat was nothing short of impressive. And in the end I was glad I let him call the shots: even Jimmy Choo could not have dished up a steak as juicy or flavourful as this. Charwood's is so unassuming you would probably miss it if you weren't looking for it. Enter and to your left will be the display fridge -- a wonder to behold -- so if you're one of those people who prefer not to contemplate red meat before cooking, keep looking ahead. The fire of the wood oven that cooks their other item of specialty -- pizza -- is sure to take your eye. Look around and you will be even more reassured: hard-wood floor, minimalist furniture, a cozy bar in one corner and several large black boards onto which Dunoyer's wife has chalked in the menu in a neat little hand. All bodes extremely well: finally, a place where the emphasis is on the food. "The meat is all baladi." Thus the waiter, not so compact, indicating that it is home-grown farm meat, neither imported nor genetically engineered. "And the French fries -- real potatoes." He is serving fresh lemonade. "The broccoli soup was made this morning with fresh produce." Now a complimentary green salad in a Dijon-mustard dressing and a basket of fresh, house baked breads are placed before us. What about the pork fillet, though? Immediately the boss is called to the table again; and a detailed description of the pigs, their living quarters, their diet, even the veterinarians who pay them weekly visits before proceeding to butcher them was delivered. The first time we went, I opted for beef: well- proportioned cuts served with either spiced butter (my choice, and an excellent one, too), mustard sauce (the choice of the person who would take the pork, on Eric's recommendation, because its sweetness balances the harshness of the mustard) or Roquefort sauce (which is still up for grabs). Potatoes come fried or baked, the vegetables are well cooked yet crisp and the grilled tomato delightfully flirty. It was our second foray into Charwood's that brought the creamy broccoli and mushroom soup to our table, along with the promise of cold soups to suit the summer season for our next visit. It was then, too, that we discovered their impossibly thin pizza dough -- covered, on this occasion, in fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, pork and shredded rocola: the perfect balance, my only gripe being that the rocola was somewhat wishy-washy, perhaps cut too fine? For desert I went for lemon tart, which as it turns out is custardy as opposed to tart in nature, but well worth the calories. It comes peaked with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. The tarte tatin with ice cream ordered by the man at the next table looked gorgeously decadent, but my companions gave rather mixed reviews of the Coupe Negresco: espresso-drenched chocolate and moca ice-cream. Charwood's is the result of Dunoyer having gone into business with the son of Egypt's favourite -- and only -- internationally acclaimed movie star a few month ago. The latter's name is also connected to such reputable establishments as Thomas (deli) and Mix and Match (clothes shop). "I have the expertise, they have the money," he tells us -- a good combination indeed. At the end of a meal, the joys of Charwood's do not come cheap, though. This shouldn't be too worrying considering the fact that, compared to all too many a Cairo eatery, this restaurant delivers the goods. Charwood's 53 Gamaat Al-Dowal Al-Arabia Street, Mohandessin. Phone: +2 749 0894. Local wines and beer served. Open from 1pm to 12.30am, closed on Monday. Lunch for two (two soups, one pizza, one steak, two beers, two deserts and an espresso) came to LE261. photo: Tamer Youssef By Tamer Youssef
