Restaurant review: Of snacks and snobs Gamal Nkrumah recovers his poise in Spectra's palatial seaside paradise Alexandria will delight any visitor. Two floors by the Mediterranean, in the grounds of a former royal gardens of the Montazah Palace, the genteel surroundings beckon. The azure sky and cerulean sea are inviting as ever in mid-September. I look around me. The clientele is youthful and full of life. They are embarking into a world in which all the trappings of the beautiful are open in front of them. Montazah is a palace being haunted by a muse. We are told that one person's nightmare, a king's abrupt departure from his beloved kingdom, can give other people much pleasure. And, that is what the Montazah Palace seems to be doing across the decades since King Farouk fled Egypt after the 1952 Revolution. I was much less interested, though, in the tense flashbacks to the mid-20th century than I was in the latter-day chapters of the 25 January 2011 Revolution. The drama unfolds slowly but compellingly. It is worth taking time over this. The scenery is vivid and arresting. It is as if nature, the sky, sea and greenery were created by some dazzling brushwork, the beauty layered in colourful strokes. I spot the starters. The jumbo combo caught my eye. The Spectra nachos and seafood combo compete for my attention. "Hang on, I just need to visit the restroom." Crash goes my friend's son's hand on mine. "Ow," I protest. The waiter inclines his head sympathetically. The adolescent headwaiter gliding towards our table does not fit the stern face of the royal Egyptian officialdom of yesteryear. He is wearing a sunny smile. As other luncheon guests study the menus, we settle on crab salad, Spectra seafood Caesar , fried calamari and fish fingers. The waiter arrives with my friend's son's shrimp risotto. We agree that the seafood dishes taste as good as they look before turning to the vexed question of what to drink. The cocktails are seductive. My friend's son goes for Mango Monkey Business, and my friend opted for Yellow submarine and I toyed with the idea of Cherry Temple. At the bar, there was no alcohol as far as I could gather. There was, of course, a comforting array of non-alcoholic cocktails. I couldn't spot any beer taps, but the fruit cocktails were sugar-saturated. There was a serious coffee machine in a sad corner. My friend's son ordred a fat big open sandwich with masses of cheese and salad that looked rather limp. My friend asked for a double expresso and I had a herbal tea. The restaurant was empty with the notable exception of a gorgeous platinum blonde. I thought for a moment that she was Nelly Karim. Then I saw another gorgeous girl, a ravishing brunette. I thought she was Basma, the beautiful actress, but then lots of Egyptian Americans in Montazah answer this delightful description. This particular part of Alexandria is full of celebrity gossip. I wonder how Spectra got this far, this quickly. It is a rather ordinary eatery as far as I can see. I checked the cocktails once again. Melon, watermelon, guava, mango, orange and strawberry. I trudge all the way around the side of the restaurant and discover that the restrooms were spotlessly clean. My friend went in by mistake to the men's loo. Oh, it's all somewhat awkward. Spectra Montazah Royal Garden Alexandria Tel: 03 5471 475 Lunch for three: LE370
