Restaurant review: Heart of Heliopolis Gamal Nkrumah hits on how eccentrics make this Heliopolis eatery their home A visit to L'Amphitrion is a confusing experience, especially if you have had a long-standing relationship with this nostalgic spot in the heart of Heliopolis. You would expect to find some of the most eccentric old- timers of Heliopolis. Indeed, L'Amphitrion is a major Heliopolis landmark. In the heart of L'Amphitrion is the Pascale Café. Air conditioned, spotlessly clean, with swift service and smiling waiters, precisely what you would expect from such an esteemed and historic hideout. L'Amphitrion is a place where you can dine, lunch or breakfast. Brunch, too, and you can drop by for a cup of tea, coffee or a cool beer in summer anytime. You will always be greeted by Ishaq, an ageing Coptic waiter with weird blue cross-shaped tattoos stamped all over his wrists and arms, and a permanent plastic smile. He waddles across the spacious piece of land that makes up L'Amphitrion, his hand shaking a little. L'Amphitrion ranks as an obvious location to meet long lost friends and sweethearts. The elegant sweep of Baghdad boulevard, a stone's throw away, with its fancy cars and exquisite boutiques. Stepping into L'Amphitrion, a mirror image of a bygone age, is reminiscent of the faded beauty of a belle laide which brings back sweet memories. L'Amphitrion is Heliopolis as it once was -- an unpolished gem of the belle epoch. Today, it is an unassuming eatery perched proudly on one of Cairo's most fascinating thoroughfares -- Ibrahim Al-Laqqani Street leading up to Korba, perhaps the most comely of Cairene districts. The clientele are old-timers, greybeards and crones -- the sort who would skip Friday prayers to savour a Stella. The ambiance is otherworldly, a touch drab but never dull or dingy. I spot an elderly friend of mine as he makes his way to his favourite table. It is as if he is a part of the place. L'Amphitrion, in fact, has been sewn into the fabric of his life since he first visited it seven decades ago. The main dishes are absolutely scrumptious. The veal escalope is delicious, and comes with sautéed vegetables and delectable French fries -- a simple but satisfying dish. And, the veal piccata, with a rich sauce is also exceptionally tasty. My companion and I tried both these classic L'Amphitrion entrees and did not find them wanting. There was a section devoted to Mexican dishes on the menu, but we decided to give that particular subdivision a miss. For starters, it appeared exceptionally rich and cholesterol laden. And, it did not appeal to the taste buds either. As a golden rule, if you fancy Mexican food, then perhaps it is best to frequent a Mexican restaurant. The menu also offered "light dishes" which it specified were only served after 5pm. A friend and I decided to have dinner there. She is one of those Cairenes who never leaves Heliopolis: they live and work there, they shop and dine there. The menu was full of rich dishes. As we dropped by L'Amphitrion for a light supper, we thought there was no point salivating over them. But I couldn't help glancing quickly over the menu, and I soon realised that the dishes on offer were mainly sandwiches, all served with French fries. Alexandrian liver, ironically an especially popular snack in Cairo, competed with the chicken liver sandwich. Then there was the shish tawouk, cubed marinated chicken grilled on skewers. Well, there was no room for this dish, but I was assured that L'Amphitrion does a particularly mouth-watering version of it. Then, of course, for the more adventurous there is the sausage sandwich. This, by the way, is the spicy Egyptian variety. Hot, but not bad at all. Then there was the Lebanese arayes -- hawawshi -- the far greasier Egyptian version -- ground meat cooked in buttered Levantine bread. L'Amphitrion 18 Ibrahim Al-Laqqani Street, Roxy, Heliopolis Dinner for two: LE150 Tel: 2258 1379
