Happy days

By Injy El-Kashef
When I was young and foolish I used to enjoy gloom and doom, imagining somehow that black thoughts and dark clothing, in their own right, rendered a person deep, meaningful and mysterious. Drawing the curtains to block out the sunlight (whenever I considered the day worthy of my seeing it, by far preferring a nocturnal existence), playing a tape that would prompt the happiest of chirping birds to crash into the nearest tree trunk and reminiscing about every single bad experience I ever encountered were my favourite pastimes, just as the most suicidal of my friends were the dearest to my heart.
Things have changed. Growing older and wiser and discovering that everyone gets their share of misery without ever asking for it -- especially when they're not asking for it -- I can now walk into a restaurant like Mediterraneo and be grateful. It is a happy place, with lots and lots of windows welcoming the sunlight, cloud-painted walls, many beautiful green plants, light wooden chairs and a pleasant menu full of colourful meals. Luckily the baby was asleep (we had to leave the minute he woke up because he insisted on chewing on every plant and touching every painting with his wet fingers) and so there was no need for the huge and excellent high chair instinctively brought in by the waiter.
One Banana and Honey Smoothy as we awaited the orders helped me settle into an even nicer mood, as it was thankfully not too sweet, thick or thin. The only possible way it could have been made better is with a shot of coconut -- but then it would be a banana coconut smoothy, and that doesn't count. We began with a tasty, hot and creamy Spinach and Mushroom Dip (though I had to add extra salt to my side of the dish) which we ate in conjunction with the Caesar Salad. The salad, I must say, was fantastic, with lots of vinegar dressing, croutons and cheese, despite the fact that the lettuce leaves did not all emanate crisply from the heart of the vegetable.
Next came my Fettucine with Shrimps, another creamy dish. What better in the winter? The pasta was al dente and the sauce was excellent, with a hint of tomato and a dash of herbs; and although the shrimps were chewy fresh and not as few as is usually the case, there was a powerful aftertaste to them that suggests more garlic could have helped when they were being cooked. My friend's Steak Café de Paris (there is a styrofoam Eiffel Tower on the wall, by the way, as well as a Tower of Pisa) came with not-so-great French fries and a selection of steamed fresh garden vegetables. The mad cow situation prompted her to inquire suspiciously about the provenance of the meat, going as far as to ask from which butcher it had been purchased ("If you say it's from Hagg Ibrahim, I'll ask him"). In any case, if this steak was from a mad cow, we should all be having some: it was as juicy and tender as they come and retained its meaty flavour despite the seasoning. We quickly paid the LE99 bill, omitting desserts: the toddler was on the loose.
Mediterraneo, 76 Road 9, Maadi.
Tel: 380 5030
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