Restaurant review: Belle époque Gamal Nkrumah learns how to drink from the poisoned chalice and persevere Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Christophe Gillino is a man of many talents. Squid ink, beetroot and spinach -- a most unusual combination -- is one of his most popular concoctions. And, I decided to go for it for what it's worth. A new style of cuisine is transforming Cairo, and it is usually after sampling such potpourri that diners at Belle demand to meet the chef. Overseeing 170 staff members and attending to nine dining establishments, of which Belle is just one, Gillino is a busy man. Creating the most delectable crab-meat soufflés in the city, Gillino has had his share of carping. Yet he finds time to compose music -- "Desert Songs" he calls them. And, he also finds the time to supervise the eateries at the Four Seasons. Quietly and without much fanfare, he tries to duplicate French dishes like beef au poivre in Cairo's sub-tropical climate, not an easy task. Overlooking the Nile, Belle is one of the most exclusive eateries in town and it is one restaurant that Gillino cares a great deal about. "It is a showcase," he says nonchalantly. "It is special." I desperately wanted to find out why. Focaccia and sciattata are Italian specialties that are favoured by the clientele. I tend to miss out on the pasta. My sons adore pasta, though, and not all white poisons -- flour, salt and sugar -- are riddled with flaws. The real dangers lie elsewhere. The rich sauces and puddings have a largely untrammeled opportunity to shift the taste of diners towards the glitzy and the glitter. If fine food was ever a soft policy issue before Gillino decided to embark on the creation of a massive image, it now rivals the Four Seasons' famous spa as the essence of power and panache. Two wood burning stoves attracted the attention of my sons. After a few hours of recreation in the delights of the Nile Plaza, there were several outstanding gastronomic moments awaiting my boys. The three of us failed to finish off every morsel of crustacean claw meat -- extremely meaty I hasten to add -- and we were left with a mammoth mound of discarded shells. Gillino's dishes have a decisive richness and depth of flavour. These dishes, however, always leave one with the unsettling feeling of wishing for a little bit more. I go for the fat duck as a nod to local Egyptian sensibilities. Those more careful with their diet might opt for poached chicken breast glazed with God knows what -- a heavenly puree at any rate. Cairo's high-end restaurants import chefs from Europe to run their kitchens and imported ingredients to please Egyptian palates. Arguably the big daddy of them all is Gillino. Normally, I would take such pains to debone the favourite fish for my sons and they would yell, "Where is the head? Where is the tail". Belle does that for me and saves me all that trouble. It is currently the restaurant I am most excited about in Cairo. Belle is as much a Ramadan treat as an Eid Al-Fitr sumptuous repast. Pan-seared fillet of Red Sea giant grouper is simple and yet flavoursome. Drop in, wherever you happen to live, either for the ultimate Ramadan repast or for an Eid banquet. In any case you shall not be disappointed. Belle, Four Seasons Hotel 1089 Corniche Al-Nile, Garden City, Cairo Tel:02 2792 6305 / 2791 7000 Iftar for three: LE750
