Restaurant review: Feasting on fish Gamal Nkrumah discovers perhaps the best restaurant in Cairo to devour the denizens of the deep If you are planning a fishy getaway over the festive season, it is possible that Egypt hasn't made your shortlist. The Nile for all its romantic grandeur is best known for its freshwater perch. And if roast turkey speaks to you more than deep-fried Nile perch at Thanksgiving or Christmas then for Heaven's sake don't dart down to the Nile Delta in December. The decomposing realities of certain Egyptian delicacies are enough to dent the dreams of the most cock-eyed optimistic connoisseurs. All over the world during festive occasions, fish rarely has the pulling power -- except perhaps in Egypt, where the decrepit delicacy fiseekh (literally putrefied fish) consumed in copious quantities for breakfast on the Spring Festival Sham Al-Nassim can be something of a turn-off for foreigners. Be that as it may, from the moment I enter Halaqet Al-Samak in Heliopolis, the pungent powers of the denizens of the deep become all too obvious. In anticipation of gorging myself on meat during the forthcoming Eid Al-Adha, I decided to feast on fish instead. However, I do have my two sons to consider: fish restaurants with childcare provision can prove to be impossibly elusive. My boys might not fancy fish today, I thought to myself. In Egypt, fish is often avoided in the scorching summer months and enjoyed during the mild winters. This year, the Feast of the Sacrifice, Eid Al-Adha, falls in December and while there is always room for rib-sticking beefy stews on a nippy night towards the year's end, a scrumptious seafood treat is most welcome when you know you'll gorge yourself on beef for a fortnight. As I watch my sons fooling around the restaurant, I reflect that a fair number of people lunching here must have harboured the very same inkling to do without beef or mutton for at least a week or two. And, indeed, as the boys slip into their respective seats, I attempt to take the initiative by asking whether they would prefer seafood, beef or chicken. "Fish," they scream in chorus. "Clams, please dad. Prawns and crabs," they yell. We began with clams. It made a perfect light starter. Located smack in the middle of Heliopolis, when it comes to seafood, Halaqet Al-Samak reigns supreme. It expresses a great sense of conviviality. The rivalry between fish restaurants in Cairo has become quite intense. And, the fish: these are curious creatures that did not live or die in vain. Halaqet Al-Samak, inasmuch as it was known at all, was often dismissed as exorbitantly expensive. And, let's face it, it is not particularly kind on the pocket. But then who said that December was for spendthrifts? The prawns and crabs were cooked to perfection over charcoal. Crackling pincers and moist, spiced flaky white flesh that melts in your mouth the boys had a ball of a time. Indeed, the most outstanding dish was the crabs. Filled with chopped fresh coriander and garlic the crabs were irresistible. Shellfish has a delicate flavour, which is soon lost when overcooked especially when separated from the shell. Giving the meat a delectable mix of light open textures, the sautéed herbs enveloped a rich creamy flavour to the flesh. The desultory state of the table was a telling tribute to the tastiness of the food. The charbroiled crabs demonstrated how a simple dish can be transformed into a gastronomic nirvana -- and the accompanying fresh salad was the proverbial Elysian fields. The Mediterranean metropolis of Alexandria remains one of the best cities in the country to dine out if you fancy fish. Packed with a cacophony of well-heeled Cairenes, you can sample Alexandrian seafood delights with style at Halaqet Al-Samak. We finished with the sensational dish of seabass that added the right accent to a perfect meal... Aayouoooo ... as a native Alexandrian would say. Halaqet Al-Samak 58 Thawra Street, Heliopolis, Cairo Home Delivery tel: 19139 Lunch for three: LE450
