Restaurant review: Not quite Lebanese Has pasta found its way to Lebanese cuisine? Hanan Radwan finds out What does the moon have to do with Lebanese food? When the Lebanese restaurant Dar Al-Qamar (literally "home of the moon") opened a few years ago, I thought nothing of it. But not far from its Mohandessin branch, I recently chanced upon another eatery sporting the sign "Jar Al-Qamar" (literally "the moon's neighbour" in Lebanese dialect). Spelling mistake? Apparently not. Their astronomical claims aside, the two restaurants are separate enterprises. Jar Al-Qamar is not a new establishment. Recently, however, the restaurant has been renovated and its glittering blue sign now rubs shoulders with another announcing "Spaghetti House". "What's this?" I pondered as my friend and I stepped inside the restaurant's new wing. "Pasta and fattouch ?" Surely no ingredient could be as far removed from Lebanese cuisine as spaghetti. A quick glance at the menu clarified matters. Except for the odd tabbouleh and kebbeh shoved imperceptibly between the other items, the only Lebanese identity of Jar Al-Qamar is its glittering blue sign. Otherwise, the menu is filled with the usual medley of standard dishes that most restaurants in Cairo seem to be compelled by an unwritten law to serve. Then came the pasta. A few months ago, the owners acquired a franchise for the British owned Spaghetti House chain, which promises fresh home-cooked pasta. Even after the waiter painstakingly explained all this, I was still sceptical about Jar Al-Qamar. My friend, however, had no time for my gastronomic pretentiousness and proceeded to order. I insisted on sampling her food for the sake of this review. The menu promised a mushroom cream soup topped with toasted nuts. What she got was a rather runny broth teeming with ground mushrooms but no nuts. Not bad, I thought. But why serve mushrooms in a season when the crates of local vegetable shops are overflowing with fresh produce? My friend liked her soup. As if to thank her for her modest disposition, the chefs cooked her main course to perfection: two slabs of plump cordon bleu served with her side order choice of roasted potatoes. There was little need for a knife as she sliced through the layers of biscuit-like batter, buttery veal, and melted gouda cheese. The accompanying potato medallions, roasted in garlic oil and sprinkled with dried basil were superb, with a firm crust giving way to creamy starchiness. My friend looked with bemused annoyance as I forked off one morsel after another from her plate. "For the sake of the review," I ventured, beaming innocently. "I just want to make sure it tastes good." Still holding on to my pedantic scepticism, I decided to sample the offerings of Spaghetti House. Although I was foolish enough to order Penne Al Funghi and received more canned mushrooms, the pasta was fresh and cooked to the desired level of al dente perfection -- a skill which is rare to come by in most restaurants in Cairo. I pretended to be lost in thought for a long while as the waiter willingly kept shaving off a heap of parmesan cheese on my plate until he finally asked "Enough, madam?" In a word, the dish was delightful and I acquiesced. In truth, the restaurant is dazzlingly clean and the renovated wing offers a cheerful ambiance with soft violet hues emanating from the coloured chandeliers and painted walls reflecting on the white chairs, sofas and canvas paintings. In the end, my misgivings about the Lebanese identity of Jar Al-Qamar were justified. But I came in hungry, left contented and have no qualms about returning. Jar Al-Qamar 52 Michel Bakhoum Street, Doqqi Tel: 3749 9460 Dinner for two: LE137
