Restaurant review: Angel hair and rosewater Gamal Nkrumah celebrates the seductive poolside spirituous plurality of the Lebanese connoisseur I shouldn't tell you this, but a lick-smacking treat of angel hair, cream and rosewater, or Ousmaleyeh, awaits you at Jayda, the picturesque poolside Lebanese restaurant perched on the third floor of the plush Conrad Hotel, Cairo. For something less highfalutin a classic cocktail such as the Bloody Mary to wash down the ultimate Lebanese confection will do. Jayda is a mellifluous commentary on throwaway Cairene socialites. The city's cream of the crop converge on this hotspot. Lebanese feasting is centred on the festive spread. Pomegranate predominates in all the Lebanese mezzes of the proficient Chef Fares Shahin. Purple Haze (fresh lime juice, muddied with brown sugar, jazzed up with vodka and Grand Marnier with a dash of Crème de Cassis) or Lebanese arak (traditional alcoholic beverage) must be in the offing. If, by any chance, you are uncertain of what to have or where to go for carousal and are beating yourself up about it, try Jayda. There is the stunning waterside setting, sandwiched between swimming pool terrace and Nile panorama. The glistening mix of Nile pleasure boats, city lights reflected on the river, and the Corniche below is breathtaking. The comely mansions of Zamalek across the Nile bequeath Jayda with an indescribable something. Nightlife in Jayda tends towards the glamorous, even though the disco is not necessarily the place for a gourmet dinner. As we are in mid-winter, a tent is set up temporarily -- the under-21s are excluded. Chef Fares, originally from the Lebanese scenic mountain historic resort of Zahle, enjoys the mild Egyptian winters. Konafa, cream cheese and honey-filled pastry, is the best medicament for the grippe. Feed a cold and starve a fever, as the saying goes. "It is so airy and breezy in Jayda, that it is guaranteed to ward off the flu," Chef Fares chuckles, eyeing the hoisted state-of-the-art heaters converged on every table. While the frost bites deeply into the gardens of his native Zahle, Chef Fares feasts on the sunshine and blue skies of the Egyptian January. "No oriental shishas are permitted in the family-oriented main restaurant which seats 30. Children are welcome. They enjoy the so-called snow-show -- please do inquire for reservations. Every Thursday, disco night, there is a motley of salsa, tango, and other pulsating Latin tunes where youngsters in their 20s, rather than adolescents, are welcome. The aerobic exercises are far more enjoyable than the latest technogym cardiovascular machines and free weights. The delightful sounds of Lebanese hits inspire the most frenzied shimmies. Jayda draws diners from all over the world. "Our Egyptian clientele are our mainstay," he explains. "However, we do have many expatriate bodies," he quickly adds. It has certainly thrilled me. So what about the edibles? For hors d'oeuvres I strongly recommend the chilled cucumber soup with prawns. It was absolutely irresistible. A sip of this sea food soup is surprisingly good in the sunny winter afternoons of Cairo. Any time before sunset will do. The Sayadeya Hamra, as a main course, was delicious. The fresh fish was flaky and snow white. Whiskey sour, a crazy concoction of Scotch shaken with a squeeze of fresh lemon and cranberry juice and a dash of angostura goes down well with Leban Emmo -- veal cooked in its "mother's milk". Chef Fares buckles down to the job at hand. The kebbeh arnabiyeh -- simmered chunky lamb cubes, which melt in your mouth, with orange tahini -- are utterly arresting. DJ Shady beckons. He dives into the tent, nibbling arayes (dolls) puff pastries packed with freshly ground beef. The tent seats some 150 partygoers. Private parties could hold up to 300 people. Mocktails abound in Jayda. For teetotalers who will not be tempted to try the real thing. The mocktails are just as tasty in spite of not being inebriating enough. Golden treasure, fresh pineapple and strawberry, fresh mango and guava are wonderfully sweet, but if you fancy something tart try the Green Fizz -- basil leaves and celery sticks with mint and lime juice. Jayda Conrad Cairo 1191 Corniche Al-Nile Tel: 2580 8000 Dinner for two: LE350
