Gamal Nkrumah feels that Eatalian is not just a taste of Italy but an emotion Eatalian, blindingly snow white with a touch of olive, recalls the spirit of the Mediterranean albeit in a curious clinically clean sort of fashion. Not only is the décor a winning combination of white and olive, but the menu, too, comes in those evocative colours of a most enchanting sea. And, surprisingly enough, Eatalian, a Lebanese-managed restaurant with a friendly and down-to-earth Egyptian staff, has created a successful alternative to the so-called "signature dish" of which so many of Cairo's fast expanding army of chefs, entrepreneurs and restaurateurs conjure up. For the monstrously gargantuan CityStars shopping mall complex, Friday nights are very different from the other nights of the week, and not just because they are the busiest. I, therefore, decided that Friday lunch would be a far more laid-back treat for my sons than Friday dinner. The day started with a sense of anticipation. CityStars, an all-time favourite with Karim and Youssef, is a distraction with a difference. It has a limitless supply of exciting thrills on offer and shopping galore. Eatalian is spotlessly clean and, in sharp contrast to the rest of CityStars, uncluttered. An oasis of calm amid the madness of Cairo's most maddening of malls. Quite how different customers can be on a steaming Friday afternoon, and the particular nostalgia they can evoke, was highlighted by the chance meeting of the daughter of our late Editor- in-Chief Hosny Guindy, Yasmine, her husband and infant daughter. It was a delightful surprise. There were invariably more women and children, families, and fewer childless couples and pubescent paramours. Assistant restaurant manager Paul Makdessy's mission is to get the whole of Cairo eating Eatalian. As soon as he spots me jotting down notes he dashes from behind the counter and stares at me for a second. "Eatalian is a Lebanese-managed franchise, just like Casper and Gambini's. Sir, is anything the matter?" he inquires in an infuriatingly disdainful sing-song Lebanese drawl. He held the menu close to his heart. I mumble in an amateurish mix of Arabic accents: an incomprehensible mix of colloquial Egyptian and Lebanese. "Eatalian caters for those enamoured by Italian-inspired cuisine," Makdessy tosses his shoulder-length jet black hair about. The show is about to begin. It would be extremely difficult to try to calculate how much profit and publicity Eatalian would generate. Ironically, another new Italian- inspired restaurant, Romano's Macaroni Grill, has opened this week just across from Eatalian. In spite of all Makdessy's lordly affectation, it is pretty obvious that Romano's is the more refined and classier of the two neighbouring Italian eateries. But, back to the menu. The rib-eye steak instantly caught my attention. It comes with saffron risotto, caramelised onion, dollops of rosemary and the whole drenched in the most delectable gravy. The tonno sicilliano sounded promising and it did not disappoint. It was accompanied by the most delectable seasonal sautéed vegetables. Karim opted for the peperonata : spaghetti, spicy plump prawns, ground sausage and almond chili to match his fiery adolescent gustatory sensations. Youssef craved the chicken rolate : stuffed with classic Italian herbs, which he promptly removed and which his brother and I shared, mash potato and grilled vegetables. The latter he proceeded to pick off from his plate. He savoured the tasty mash, though. Eatalian CityStars, new phase Lunch for three: LE250
