Restaurant review: Blistering burgers Gamal Nkrumah notes that at Lucille's you get burgers to clutch with both hands Lucille's is no place for sticky sweet and sour Chinese duck or seared tuna sashimi. Lucille's is that haunt of burger addicts -- and burgers American-style. And, yes, you can order the odd egg and cheese burrito, silver dollar pancakes, taco beef and BBQ chicken. Eat to your heart's content. Some burgers are basted with chili butter and grilled until lightly charred all over. I opted for the bunless burger that I had with the most mouthwatering mash potato. I am not sure what the secret of the juiciest burgers in town is: the chefs at Lucile's seem especially expert in browning the outside of their burgers, heating the meat through to the middle, while retaining the meaty moisture. I suspect they baste the coarsely chopped minced meat with fine glaze turning the delectable burgers every four or five minutes. And while some of the delicious fat is lost onto the immaculately clean and greaseless skewers, the burgers are always grilled until cooked through. However, Lucille's is famous for its truly American breakfasts. French toast with bacon and sausage patty, waffle with savoury and sweet toppings -- maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit and sausage, you name it. This particular restaurant in the heart of Maadi is a veritable Mecca for American delicacy aficionados. It is packed on weekends, even though in the holy fasting month of Ramadan it might be less crowded. Lucile's is famous for its fabulous brunches and hearty meals. It is an eatery for those with healthy appetites. Of late it has started to cater for the health conscious customers as well. However, if you happen to be one of those weight watchers and are on a special low calorie diet it is best to drop in at Lucille's on your day off the diet: the eat-all-you-can day. The sauces tend to be rich: creamy, but never nauseatingly eggy, mayonnaise; palatable peppercorn and chive butter; inviting red and black pepper sauces and of course the olive oil-based Italian dressings with aromatic oregano and thyme that top crunchy leaf salads. And, oooh, the garlic parsley butter: I am not sure how they work it out, but the butter always seems to be poured over the steaks and burgers for just the right amount of time to allow the bloody juices to balance and the fleshly flavours to meld. At Lucille's you do not have a particularly wide range of fresh fruit juices: the choice is restricted to freshly squeezed orange or lime. Both juices are highly recommended and are exceptionally fresh. The iced tea is literally made of freshly brewed and iced tea. Then there is American coffee for coffee-lovers. And, try not to miss Lucille's hot chocolate -- that is one hot number indeed. My companions, a delightful couple, also had burgers. Even their cute kid digged into his kiddy burger and French fries. My colleague, whose brilliant idea it was to dine at Lucille's, had a mammoth-sized chili con carne burger. The colossal platter was covered in the richest and chunkiest minced meat imaginable with red kidney bean tomato sauce and you couldn't even see the burger, which was submerged in the delectable sauce. His wife, another dear friend, tucked into her mushroom burger. Alas, she couldn't finish it -- it was far too large for one person. Her husband volunteered to help her complete the impossible task. As a side dish, we had buffalo strips drenched in blue cheese sauce softened somewhat by the addition of yoghurt. Dessert is always a memorable treat at Lucille's. The chocolate-based delicacies are sure winners -- and there is a whole range of them. But I would recommend the pineapple cake -- the buttery crumble is topped with the juiciest fruit I have ever tasted in Cairo. However, the cheesecakes, lemon tarts, chocolate cakes and mousse are no less scrumptious. 54 Road 9, Maadi, Cairo Tel: 3359 2778 Dinner for Two: LE180
