Restaurant review: Chockablock Gamal Nkrumah indulges in fondant-filled chocolate eggs this Easter Chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular at Easter around the world, and Cairo is no exception. Roy's Country Kitchen Special Easter buffet was especially thrilling this year. Laden with fondant and praline creations, chocolate and marzipan delights, the experience was truly memorable. Chocolate is not as wicked as once thought. Yes, feasting on fantastical amounts of milk chocolate is a decidedly dangerous pursuit, consuming moderate amounts of dark, non-processed cocoa lowers the level of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream and is known to be a powerful antioxidant. Alkali processed chocolate destroys the flavonoids and can be harmful for people with circulatory and cardiac problems. More importantly, chocolate is a mild sedative, a delightful Prozac if you will. You munch a pure deep dark chocolate bar and you feel on top of the world. However, when it comes to a colossal spread of chocolate- based desserts, the high effect is not that effective. The reason is that so many preservatives and additives are included and the scandalous amounts of sugar and creamy dairy products poured into it generates an unwelcome amount of nervous energy, that we can well do without. At Marriott one is spoilt for choice. With more than 14 restaurants to chose from, the hotel is one of the most lavish and decadent in all Cairo. And, one needn't worry unnecessarily about extra calories and cholesterol for one day. There are few eateries in the city that rival the historic splendour and charming ambiance of the Marriott locations. The restaurants of the Marriott also range from the casual and pleasantly informal to the sublime. Roy's Country Kitchen has a decidedly easygoing atmosphere. The restaurant's location at the very edge of the hotel, almost peripheral, makes it ideal for a quick albeit hearty lunch or better still brunch. You could enter the eatery in shorts, but not swimsuits. Portions are big and filling -- American-style. That, of course, is on the set menu. The buffets especially the salads are satisfying with a mind-boggling selection of delicacies. I personally find that Roy's Country Kitchen salad menus are a perfect meal in themselves. The same cannot be said about their chocolate spreads. I find that there is always a need for something savoury to compliment the syrupy sweetness of desserts. Even if one sticks to fruit salads, the impact is not quite the same. Omar's Café and the Promenade Café offered a wide selection of mouthwatering desserts in a special menu for Easter, just like Roy's Country Kitchen, and the onus in all three was most certainly on chocolate. Be that as it may, there was a wider selection of non- chocolate delights on the Roy's Country Kitchen buffet. Much of the delightful stuff was prepared at the Marriott's own Bakery. Now, I find that one can never go wrong at The Bakery. If one has guests over, or if one is invited to a dinner party or luncheon, it is always the most convenient choice to pop in at The Bakery and it is guaranteed that it will wow those who sample it. The cakes and puddings are irresistible. So it was with much pleasure that I noted that on Easter Day, the Roy's Country Kitchen buffet was primarily composed of The Bakery delectables. However, I was assured that in the future there would always be a selection of The Bakery victuals for those with a sweet tooth. For those with an eye on the savoury dishes, well, they can always sample the mouthwatering Roy's Country Kitchen's burgers. Not only are these burgers big, but they are also exceptionally appetising as far as carnivores are concerned. Roy's Country Kitchen Marriott Hotel 16 Saraya Al-Gezira Zamalek, Cairo Tel: 2739 4646 LE90 per person
