Restaurant review: Whiff of something The transcultural outdoor atmosphere charmed Gamal Nkrumah, but the aromas did nothing for him The Aroma Lounge is not exactly an ideal place to take one's lover, although the odd Arabian Gulf tourist couple can be spotted there, seated conspicuously among the dissolute regulars smoking aromatic shishas (hookahs). Everyone else appears to be examining their menus and looking a little restive or to be blunt, pretty bored. Savvy shoppers come here to unwind. This is supposed to be a lounge, but the atmosphere is far from cosy. There are no fireplaces or dimly lit corners with ornate fake electrical fireplaces, the odd faux hearth or even the old-fashioned coal stoves of yesteryear. Instead, the rooftop garden of the Aroma Lounge is designed to lengthen the outdoor season. The wooden benches outside offer not only function but also form. Don't look for cutting edge designer furniture. Though the décor value of the place is not its most attractive feature, it adds contrast and perspective to the sophisticated models of the five-star hotel lounges and the ultra-modern City Stars shopping mall itself. The place is abuzz with chancers and exhausted shoppers. Frankly speaking, the Aroma Lounge is not my favourite hangout, but I appreciate its blithesome ordinariness. Simple shapes define the space and the ingenious utilisation of unstylish materials has a young upstart designer's edge that is almost sculptural. City Stars, as most other Cairene shopping malls, is all about knowing where to go and where not to go. They are part of a trend that was imported from the Arab Gulf countries. They are very alluring to the fashion-conscious youngsters. For me, it is the kind of place one drives past. Or around, as it is impossible to park your car anywhere in the vicinity and the parking lot is far from cheap. Restaurateurs, though, have had a heavenly run. It is all a bit tawdry. The commonplaceness and the ordinariness of the cuisine at Aroma Lounge does not inhibit hordes of youngsters from sneaking in. It is for this reason that I have always thought fondly of the place and not of its food. I have mentally connected it with youth and relaxation. The Aroma Lounge faded from fashion not long after it was officially opened a couple of years ago. But as the socialites exited, the teenage lovers descended in droves. I glanced out from the shade of the shed overhead, past the Gulf tourists and their paramours, and towards the sunlit stained glass pyramid. Skyscrapers thrust high into the clear cerulean blue curtain of late afternoon skies and penetrate deep into the pink and lilac clouds. The sky is big and the buildings towering over the Aroma Lounge are even bigger, and the pizzas came in very big sizes topped with very greasy looking cheeses and coarsely chopped vegetables and cold cuts that turn sizzling hot in the oven. The salads, though, were an absolute delight. It was as if the waiters had harvested big bowls of homegrown herbs and they were garnished with such delightful dressings. The Aroma Lounge makes good salads. My Waldorf salad with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes was mouth- watering and yummy. My son's Caesar salad with shrimps was equally scrumptious, if a tad too creamy for me. And, so was his Chicken Alfredo. I noticed that he shoved the mushrooms aside so I tasted one and was pleasantly surprised because it was full of flavour. Which cannot be said of my tasteless fish. The grilled sea bass was obviously hastily defrosted and the ashen colour of the flesh especially off-putting. I guzzled down gallons of sparkling water to try and disguise the unpalatable dish. My son sipped his Hawaii lemon and mint cocktail more slowly and deliberately. "It's a bit too sweet," he complained. "Sparkling water?" I retorted. The Aroma Lounge is alas a somewhat sleazy angle of City Stars. The receptionist stands in an inconspicuous corner warning you in hushed tones that the minimum charge is LE50 per person. It is not upmarket but worth considering for quick visits for those with hungry young children and adolescents raring for a calorific pizza or greasy pasta. At night it can get noisy. Shoppers flock to the Lounge for a salad or a snack. Others to savour a shisha. Aroma Lounge City Stars, Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Street Nasr City, Cairo Tel: 2480 2333 Dinner for two: LE330
