Restaurant review: Quintessentially Peking Gamal Nkrumah dropped in at Peking with some doubtful preconceptions Good home cooking, it is not. Among well-heeled Cairenes, the mention of Peking of any sort tends to be frowned on. However, the truth is that when it comes to something as serious as Chinese cuisine, the recipes churned out by Peking, Cairo's premier Chinese food chain, have much going for them. Peking favourites such as duck with ginger and garlic, or duck with mushroom and bamboo are classics that have stood the test of time. The menu is classic, that much is true, but I can hardly pronounce it authentic. Yes, prawn kun pao (spicy with peanuts) is delicious, and so is the stewed fish with water chestnuts, I reckon my favourite. Peking prawn pie is another favourite of mine. And, so are the fried fish balls. I stay away from the Wun Ton and the dumplings -- if you have tasted the real stuff in London's China Town, San Francisco or Hong Kong you would never touch the stuff they serve at Peking. Still, is there a stylish restaurant left in Cairo that you can afford? Peking is it. Other Asian restaurants in Cairo are fast becoming flash and fearsomely expensive. Peking, however, remains defiantly low-cost and low-key. And, it is one of the most exciting, too. Yes, it is as if the Peking restaurateurs don't feel the need to ramp up their prices in face of stiff competition from newer and more exotic Asian eateries. This is the ageless Forbidden City of our fantasies. Peking is always a reliable bet. Nothing particularly fancy, but invariably a convincing argument that the chefs of Peking have got it about right. The food at Peking is mouthwatering and scandalously cheap by contemporary upmarket Cairene standards. The restaurant itself is chic. The Zamalek one especially so. For an appetiser, I invariably opt for the Peking rocket salad with glass noodles and Chinese mushrooms. They say among certain circles in Cairo that there is something about Peking that brings out those hidden passions. If my experience is anything to go by, they are right. I put it down to fiery dishes such as hot chili prawns, spicy shredded calamari with green peppers and onions, or fried calamari with five spice and mushrooms. Even milder dishes such as prawns with cashew nuts are piquant and well-seasoned. If you've been doing a lot of footslogging in the leafy island- suburb of Zamalek and are looking for somewhere for a late lunch, then Peking in the heart of Zamalek is the perfect place. It is usually only half full at that time of the day. And, you can have the pick of where to sit. Smiling waiters arrive as soon as you slid into your seat. And, there is always something about Peking tables that make you look at them twice. Maybe it is the vivid greens and sensual reds. Or the faint florescent flushed light that bounces off your dishes. Oyster sauce, curry or Szechwan sauce? What is rather odd about Peking is that it is not uncorrupted Chinese. Fried fish with tomato and garlic could be anything from Italian, Greek or Portuguese to Sri Lankan or even Bengali. The trick is in the presentation -- it is almost always typically mock Chinese. Mixed fried rice Guandung style -- chicken, prawns, eggs and vegetables -- or mixed fried basmati rice Guangung style? The basmati is far superior in quality, even though basmati is more closely associated with India, rather than with China. But then, who cares as long as it tastes finger-licking good. The noodles, and you are without fail reminded that they can be served crisp, are more dicey than the rice dishes. I avoid the special spicy fried noodles with chicken. The mixed fried noodles with chicken, prawns and vegetables can be a tad too greasy. It sounds rich and heavy, but it is actually delightfully light. Or so I imagine when I am starving. Dessert is guaranteed to please any palate. Candied banana or pineapple is a delectable treat for children and adults alike. Tart Lee is awfully sweet, too. As for the redoubtable Profiterole Wang -- well you must judge that yourself. Peking 23 B, Ismail Mohamed Street, Zamalek, Cairo Tel: 2736 6167 or 2735 7366 Dinner for two: LE220
