Restaurant review: Hi, GI counter The sensory appeal of eating health food is next to nil, laments Gamal Nkrumah Venture into the tasteless world of healthier eating habits. We walked in the early evening Maadi sunshine, down one of those nameless streets that all look alike. We chanced upon Green Mill because even from the doorstep it looks like a reasonably priced eatery. I would have happily dined at one of the countless Korean or Chinese restaurants in the neighbourhood. And, the appeal of Green Mill was that its food and approach is neither entirely lowbrow nor highbrow. It occupies a middle ground that defies definition and categorisation. We stepped into Garden Food and an interior that was reasonably comfortable but has obviously not had too much spent on it. Don't expect extraordinary, multi- layered tastes and textures and depths of flavour to set tongues wagging. Instead, brace yourself for frugal salads that are, as if to make up for their penurious nature, easy on the pocket. The combinations are not particularly attractive: Breads, fish, cold cuts and few fries. There is a special Green Mill fish and I'll check that one out soon. The only consolation is that they are somewhat salubrious. Even so, one is never sure that they are especially nourishing. Take the Glycemic Index (GI), for instance. This is a dubious investigation of the quality of carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs. I am not entirely sure how it is calculated or how it works. Something about rating foods according to their effect on blood glucose levels. High GI foods are digested more quickly, making one hungry sooner. Low GI food, on the other hand, are digested more slowly and hence leave one feeling fuller for far longer. Suffice it to say that this particular restaurant miraculously manages to capture the frivolity, but not the fun, of health-conscious eating propriety. Old habits die hard. And, the impulse for rich, filling and fulfilling food draws one to the more exotic eateries in town. However, at present, I must be content with herbal vinaigrettes and low-fat yoghurt-based sauces. Monitoring one's calorie intake has become de rigueur. Diabetic diets and weight management regimens are all the rage these days. I had a great success with tasty starters at my previous restaurant and I wanted to do something similarly savoury here. I soon grasped that there was something most peculiar about the place. I knew instinctively that I had not stumbled on a hit. The waiter bowed and handed me the menu in a most self-deprecating manner. One glance at the menu and the salad bar and you are engulfed by the instant realisation that bringing us closer to nature isn't the most exciting endeavour here in the heart of suburban Cairo, even in the midst of the leafy enclave of Maadi. Actually, there is hardly any greenery in the vicinity of Green Mill, apart from a few towering trees. I picked on wilted lettuce. I was looking for something robust in flavour. While taking our order, the waiter rushed to another customer, apologised profusely for the interruption and proceeded to deliver some health hit before returning to complete our order. In these desperately glum days when diners are obliged to ponder the impact of their food choices on the planet, fretting about the current food crisis need not be a futile exercise. Frequenting fancy restaurants could be reduced to a minimum. Humans embarked on the back-breaking task of domesticating and growing grain around 10,000 BC. Ever since, they have contrived to conjure up dishes that are not necessarily good for nature. But now we have come full circle and must factor in the needs of Mother Earth. My sons ate delicately to begin with, for a change. Nothing they did was messy or wild. The younger settled on a cheesy choice. "The blue cheese salad dressing", he promptly declared, was "as good as any I've ever eaten." "Add a squeeze of lemon," his elder brother pronounced. Everything on our table seemed suddenly pathetic. Karim soon gave up on good manners. Sucking and slurping, he gulped down an insipid broth. He swallowed the nondescript concoction with as little restraint as was socially acceptable. Nonetheless, we left the restaurant feeling happy -- a great sense of relief. At least, you do not have to book in advance. Green Mill 32 Street 213 Maadi, Cairo Tel: 2521 0120 Lunch for three: LE170
