Restaurant review: Trust me, try these There is no getting lost on the gastronomic pilgrim's road to the American-enlivened Roastery, discovers Gamal Nkrumah As we enter the dark wood-panelled interior, my firstborn Karim and I discover that his younger sibling, Youssef, is missing. Nevertheless, we make ourselves comfortable carefully examining the Roastery menu, and out of the blue, he appears waif-like as if out of no where. The ragamuffin is all ready for a heart-warming treat on an overcast day. Sprinting nimbly down the leafy lane to sit with me as I enjoy steaming seafood chowder Youssef immediately starts to talk about his preference for, of all creatures, chicken. His elder brother Karim, partial to seafood, though, makes that abundantly clear. But this is no seafood restaurant I point out somewhat peevishly. "Grilled chicken with shrimp and crab sauce will do," Karim's prompt answer unnerved me a little. Sometimes a plump bird slips down an unexpected treat, he concedes. Unashamedly excessive, I pondered the possibility of sampling the grain-fed imported beef rib eye served with shrimp and café de Paris. Yes, I go for it. There are issues of taste and cultural judgement to consider at the Roastery. The dishes may evoke a gastronomic Wild West time capsule that teeters comically on the verge of absurdity. The veal chops served with BBQ sauce for Youssef or the grilled Mexican chicken? Side dishes of your choice include mashed potato, sautéed vegetables, baked potato, and pasta such as fettuccine, penna and spaghetti. "Chicken, of course," he responds without hesitation. The chicken dishes on the menu look worryingly similar. Youssef embarks on an expletive-soaked monologue. The images he conjured up were not, one could say, appetising. "Chicken Tandoori," was his conclusion. "It does sound a bit ridiculous eating presumably authentic Indian in the Roastery," I protest. The chicken tandoori, I hasten to add, turned out not to be too bad either. He sent the waiter scurrying for exciting salads. Salads at the Roastery are varied and do constitute a complete meal in their own right. The crab avocado salad with roast garlic, ajoli, chili and coriander served on a bed of rocca, cherry tomatoes and mesclun greens doused with saffron oil is a delight. This delicate, earthy, unpredictable and playful concoction is a tease for the adventurous palate. The Santa Fe salad with mango-spiced chicken breast, guacamole, sweet corn, red beans, fresh lettuce and mozzarella cheese topped with zesty citrus dressing is another superb option. Salad dressings include blue cheese, honey mustard and balsamic. Our evening at the Roastery brought back happy memories of evenings we spent at similar American-inspired eateries. Translating the richness of contemporary American culinary treats into Egyptian menu shorthand is no easy matter. The basic culinary concepts at the Roastery, unabashedly American, are as varied as those of that great continent- nation, that has borrowed liberally from other continents. Some items on the Roastery menu are straightforward thefts from the American lexicon. A good steak is easy to identify. And, it is invariably American. When it comes to steak, Americans don't dabble in linguistic obfuscation. The Roastery sticks to the golden rules of the American traditional comestibles. And let's face it: Americans do bourgeois bad taste like no other nation. T-Bone, Country steak, New York steak, Grilled Fillet Lover, Italian beef fillet mozzarella, and jumbo beef fajita. While I am lost in dubious admiration, I ponder the possibility of dessert. "Do we have room for dessert?" Karim and Youssef nod approvingly. I was half hoping the answer would be a definitive "No". Memorably syrupy sweet and creamy desserts, too, are delectable at the Roastery. Fudge brownie sundae, banana split, cheese and chocolate madness and my favourite cinnamon apple crisp are all mouthwatering teasers designed to make you feel reluctant to leave the Roastery. Devilish desserts confound cynical anticipation. Not that everything was perfect, but the menu at the Roastery is the distilled essence of contemporary American cuisine and the dishes served prove to be an unexpected pleasure -- the senses are dazzled, but nothing indescribably tasteful to mentally relish for days ahead. Roastery, 11 Road 18, Maadi Tel: 2750 9914 Dinner for three: LE275
