The emperor strikes back

By Injy El-Kashef
It has been a while since we went Chinese, and we wanted to do it in style -- Gulf Royal was definitely in order. My mother and I had another dinner date (I'm keeping it in the family these days, before I emerge, victorious, from my cocoon for some serious social butterflying) and as she stretched her hand out to grab the door knob the door just flew open. It was a nice beginning.
We took our seats in the very chic interior and took more time than usual to place our orders because our eyes were set on the coffered ceiling rather than on the printed words. Before anything arrived, our third party had graced us with her presence, and she knew exactly what she wanted. Soups first: one delicious steamy bowl of Chicken with Black Mushroom was mine, all mine, and I relished it with gusto. One Sweet and Creamy Crab Meat Corn Soup was my mom's choice, and she made sure to spice it up with hot sauce although I rather preferred the docile original; as for my friend, she always goes for the Hot and Sour Chili Soup crowded with shallots and other goodies, all contributing to the powerful taste.
Next came our appetiser, the Crispy Shrimp in Salt and Pepper, which were very interesting but had one problem: the batter in which they were deep fried coated the shells, so that it was virtually impossible to enjoy the batter without actually chewing on the shell. I did it courageously, but I know most diners won't. Not yet familiar with the huge portions, we each ordered a main course, my mother and I sharing a serving of Mixed Fried Noodles on the side and our friend indulging in a serious Vegetable Fried Rice situation. The noodles were simply perfect, despite the fact that they were really fettuccini strips, with a huge selection of vegetable bits all seasoned beautifully with ginger and soy sauce. As for the rice, it was similarly well-behaved, with the trademark shredded omelette mixed up with the lot.
The main courses needed concentration. A sizzling Beef Tepanyaki looked impressive and huge, the onions were delicious, as was the rest of the dish, but the meat was of a strange consistency: yes, it was tender, but did not seem to have enough fibre -- a little bit like brain. My Chicken with Cashew Nuts was positively divine, with a large amount of crispy cashews and an excellent sauce, while my friend's Sweet and Sour Shrimps were so sweet that I needed to balance out the taste with pickles when I went home (Chinese pickles are also sweet). They were good, though: big and juicy, oh yes.
We were so full by then that we turned rather dull, but we still ordered dessert, hoping for fried ice-cream, which we did not find. What we opted for instead was Deep Fried Banana with Ice-Cream and Honey, a good substitute and a perfect way to end this succulent meal (LE100 a head).
Gulf Royal Chinese Restaurant, 1 Abdel-Wahab Selim St,
Misr Helwan Agricultural Road, beside Metro market.
Tel 526 5200/4200
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