Restaurant review Light at the end of the tunnel Injy El-Kashef shares her pearls of wisdom Last summer everything was so different -- excitement was in the air, the heart was wild, hopes were high. It was the most beautiful summer in years. However, this summer saw the cycle ebb downward, the way cycles tend to behave, dampening the excitement, taming the heart and crashing hopes. It is not only about the blows that life deals us, but mainly how we chose to react to them. And, like the never-ending cycle of life our strengths and weaknesses alternate to raise us above the clouds or drag us into the lowest depths of despair. Yesterday I let myself be dragged, today I insist on rising (tomorrow my nose will be in the mud again, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it). It was during one of these self- conscious attempts at "rising" that I went with a couple of friends in search of soul-lifting food. We ended up in Hana, one of the oldest restaurants in Zamalek with an 18-year long history. The place was absolutely packed with customers, all Korean, which was a little intimidating. After all, we now had to use chopsticks in front of the experts and neither of us was in the mood to feel ridiculous (saving that mood for when our noses hit the mud). What made matters worse was that the chopsticks on the table were the thin, heavier, stainless steel ones, but we nagged nagged nagged and nagged until the lighter, plastic version was brought to us, along with our lost dignity. We nibbled on the tiny dishes of modest appetisers as we ordered, picking item after item off an alarmingly-long list of food. The grill at the centre of the table was filled with live charcoal upon our order for grilled chicken -- a fun, albeit hot, process of self service during which one exercises a few more muscles besides the jaw and stomach; it was a positive addition to the effort of "rising" and feeling important and useful. The Noodles with Shrimps that accompanied my Shrimps with Cashew Nuts were huge, as was everything else, and contained every ingredient to make it a respectable plate. The main shrimp dish contained more large shrimps than I had seen at any other restaurant in my life. My friends' food was equally delicious. True, the Chicken with Mushrooms could have used more flavour, but it was still satisfying. As for the order of Korean beef with vegetables, it came in a huge pot with rice, hot sauce, vegetables and beef topped with a fried egg. If I had to describe the Hana experience concisely I would use two words: generous and original. Our meal came to LE225, leaving not a millimetre free for dessert. Hana, Mansour Mohamed St, end of Brazil St, Zamalek
