Restaurant review: Bitters and bites Aperitivo veers seductively from deluxe subtlety to openhearted homeliness, notes Gamal Nkrumah What best distinguishes Aperitivo, which opened on 10 December, can best be summed up in Scribblings on a Napkin, two pages in what can candidly be described as the most engaging menu of all Cairo's restaurants. The 1930s-inspired feel of the homey eatery with dark woods and crimson touches that has two bars attached to it, exudes an especially gratifying warmth. And while we are on the subject of warmth, I must make a mention of the fireplaces -- meticulously carved out of one block of Nero marquina marble. They, too, emit a very special kind of intensity of feeling, a nostalgic sentimentality more characteristic of the colder climes of Europe and North America than to the sweltering heat of Cairo. Which brings me yet again to another aspect of the restaurateur as inflamed by passion for their craft. Aperitivo, "the age-defining and inimitable pre-dinner drink", reflects the effulgence of the outrageous albeit elegant and enormous orb-shaped chandeliers created by Nadim Spiridon, a Belgian-based lighting specialist. A colourful Cinzano mosaic mural, evoking the 1930s, greets guests. "The restaurant has a seating capacity of 65 for dinner with an extra capacity for 24 guests at Aperitivo's two bars," Suzanne said showing me the private dining room that seats up to 14 guests. Luminescence, both subtle and strong, is embodied in the crystal chandeliers, like full moons or ostrich eggs peering incandescently over the logs of the fireplaces in turn like the best bits being roasted on the spit. The crystal balls come overhead like hunters going lamping at night for game. Aperitivo looks surreal. However, the trompe l'oeil is the colossal mirror on the wall created by Palestinian-born artist Janan Shihadeh, with the raw iron "sinewy lines" which were inspired by the art nouveau period. The maze of mirrored surfaces resembling mirrored boxes make the rooms look much larger than they actually are. But then what? The artists that created Aperitivo are innovational in their visual aphorisms. Take the bathrooms, for instance. I was led to the ladies' toilet by the proprietress herself to see for myself the exquisite mural of the flamenco dancer inside. A full lip of some supernatural enchantress was plastered on the door like an apparition. Martin Brown, a Barcelona-based artist, used thousands of tiny pieces of spectrum glass for the eye- catching mosaics -- dramatic representations of Aperitivo adverts -- 1930s--style cocktail posters. The men's room had an even more beguiling mural of a Creole sorceress and a well-trimmed moustache for a mouth on the door -- equally spooky. The waiters in white jackets swirl around like ghosts wandering in the past. Suzanne, the proprietress, salvaged little from the original space and reused the rooms to startling effect. It was a full renovation job. Suzanne is clearly passionate about the tall, mirrored cabinets housing hand-picked accessories she herself collected and purchased in Paris. Working with such a top Milanese chef as Giorgio Bottazzi, she assures me, is the greatest pleasure of all. For antipasti, Giorgio recommended tartare di tuna, tuna tartar with capers and sun dried tomato. It was out of this world. The black risotto, cooked in the ink of the squid it was served with, and fresh prawns were equally ravishing. The zuppa di pesce alla Ligure, a dish that French manageress Danielle declared unequivocally to be bouillabaisse, was superb. "In true Milanese-style, Aperitivo welcomes guests with a wide selection of cocktails and Milanese-inspired light snacks -- green olives stuffed with ground meat, stuffed peppers and sardines, and thick slices of mozzarella cheese and tomato." These side dishes are deeply rooted in the northern Italian gastronomic tradition. "Giorgio also makes his own homemade pastas, breads and ice cream." I couldn't resist a spoonful of his ice cream -- it was a deliciously rich and flavoursome walnut and chestnut mix blended to a very smooth consistency. His tiramisu drenched in rum was heavenly, by far the most delectable tiramisu in town, truly unsurpassable. The Campari sobret was equally divine. High in flavour, and palpably even higher in alcohol, Giorgio's deserts don't have to be syrupy sweet either. There was hardly any room, though, for the Roman style coffee sherbet -- granita di caffe. Aperitivo 157, 26 July Street, Zamalek, Cairo Tel: 2735 0543 or 010 523 2923 Dinner for two: LE550
