Restaurant review: Food fit for footballers Gamal Nkrumah soars above the lurid world of the sacred ritual of soccer on the Marriott rooftop For old Zamalek hands, it would seem improbable to be sitting atop the Marriott on a sweeping terrace overlooking the Nile. So there we were: on the rooftop with a gigantic screen watching the U20 World Cup currently being hosted in Egypt (24 September-16 October). The winning team was in carnival mood -- I'll leave the reveling and merrymaking to your imagination. Commentary, note, is in the English language. Chef Badawi Abdel-Hamid and the waiters dress in the unique colours of each and every match. But it was heartening to see fun-seekers so happy. It was a balmy in-between seasons evening. I absent mindedly gazed at the feluccas gleaming in the sunset casting golden ripples across the surface of the lilac Nile waters. The Marriott, as always, impresses with its panache. At Almaz, an open air restaurant that once upon a time was an open air cinema, now confidently combines a screen (8m by 5m) and eatery overlooking the panoramic Nile views on the hotel's rooftop. The water glittered. Almaz is a neat exposé of the bewildering panoply of arcane football devotion across the world. The restaurant does not offer cut-price menus, and I hasten to add that the food is not especially creative, nor the interior designs and furnishings especially striking, and the menu options are pretty basic. Yet the scene has a softness accentuated by rambunctious football aficionados. If serious gastronomic focus is lacking, the food lives up to the menu that exhibits a sense of humour, and there are hearty offerings designed to satisfy a range of appetites and wallets. In any case, the Marriott has an inimitable way of conjuring the Cairene landscape. Quintessential Cairene snacks are served in a relaxed surrounding, but do note that food is only served when there are football matches to watch. The food and drink, being snacks, are very well priced at Almaz. The fish and chips, for example, are among the best I have had in Cairo. Moreover, there is an air of authenticity as far as the succulent shish tawooks and other grilled meats and chickens are concerned. And, comparable eateries and watering holes in the vicinity of Zamalek and across the Nile in Cairo's five-star riverside thoroughfares boast far more expensive fare. The atmosphere at Almaz is relatively simple and unpretentious. All this disguises the fact that Almaz is not really a restaurant in the proper sense of the word. Behind these peculiarities lurked something occult, albeit not particularly apocalyptic -- indeed, rather pleasurable. The men, in vast majority, were digging into their juicy burgers and gulping down their lagers in between goals. The few women around were sipping the wide array of juices and sampling seafood stews. By gamely scattering chairs and tables in front of the screen, the creators of Almaz have allowed us mere mortals to believe in the magic of football. This eatery will not be to the taste of those who have no time for the sport. Then there are people like me unable to comprehend this obsession with football but entranced by it. Altogether more peppery were the meatballs. The gnarled complexities of the beautiful game did not spoil the pleasantries of the sweetmeats. The rice grains, meanwhile, were firm and nutty to the bite. Still, we were done for. Yes, the next half hour things picked up. When the game ended we decided to call it a day. And just in case my friends got bored with the football, I placed more edibles in the pile of plates. One of our party was highly enthusiastic about football and incessantly explained the finer points and merits of the game. I, for one, was more interested in the food, and in dressing the rocket with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lime juice. Almaz Marriott, Zamalek Tel: 2739 4631 Minimum charge per person: LE80
