Restaurant review: Gluttons for munchies There is fast food other than KFC and the golden arches, says Gamal Nkrumah thankfully A Sbarro is a Sbarro. For some people the very mention of the word Sbarro tends to conjure up images of Italian cuisine. However, Sbarro is first and foremost a fast food joint designed to quench the thirst and assuage the hunger of youngsters on the go. The meals are filling and for all intents and purposes relatively healthy. The dishes on offer are, however, far from gourmet fare. The dishes marketed as traditional and Italian pizzas are nothing comparable with the originals. However, if you are hungry and desperate for something filling then Sbarro will do just fine. My knowledge of Sbarro was pretty scant. I had frequented the outlet in CityStars, Nasr City, but the Tahrir eatery is far different from that of CityStars, set in the heart of the bustling shopping mall. Not that the Tahrir joint is serene as such, rather it is equally bustling to its Nasr City counterpart. The clientelle are similarly youthful, and the place is always packed. The homemade semolina pastas are delicious, the portions are generous and there are many additional toppings to go with the spaghetti and penne -- succulent meatballs and a rich bolognese sauce. Other options are chicken parmigiara, a lightly-breaded chicken breast topped with Mozzarella cheese, parsley and special recipe tomato sauce. Then, of course, there is the chicken francese, breaded and lightly battered chicken breasts sauteed in lemon sauce and garnished with Sbarro marinated mushrooms, fresh lemon and parsley. The baked ziti with ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheeses are delightful. And, so is the pasta primavera and Alfredo sauce with Sbarro's famous Tortellini pasta stuffed with spinach and cheese and served with juicy chicken breast chunks, mushrooms and red bell peppers. The lasagna, too, is irresistibly delectable, especially when eaten piping hot. Indeed, Sbarro's famous meat lasagna is among the tastiest in town. Mozzarella cheese is used liberally in most of the pastas at Sbarro, and in particular the stuffed pizza with the naughty but nice sauce drenched with a special sauce and the pizza baked with sesame seeds. The spinach and broccoli topping is my favourite, even though the sausage and pepperoni isn't bad either. The traditional and Sicilian pizzas are good, filling stuff. The spicy special with seasoned veal sausage is especially popular with my sons. And, so is the seafood pizza. The margarita and pepperoni pizzas are all time favourites of the family. Be that as it may, Sbarro is not a place to loiter about for too long. Sbarro, whether in CityStars, Tahrir or other sections of town is a place where you fill your stomach and leave as soon as you can. The Sbarro outlets tend to be noisy, boisterous eateries. Lunch hours, in particular, can be hellish at Tahrir, with American University in Cairo students and staff frequenting Sbarro and employees on the make in the vicinity descending in droves on the place in search for a quick and filling lunch. Between noon and 2pm, I would advise you not to go anywhere near this new eatery in the heart of Cairo's Tahrir Square. This is a time to avoid Sbarro altogether, because the waiters are busy and can easily get the orders mixed up, they smile less and are even known to be irritable and brash. By the time it is 4-5pm Sbarro is as pleasant a place to seek refreshments as any in the Downtown Cairo area. It is a stone's throw from the Egyptian Museum and some of the major five-star hotels along the Nile. Salads and deserts are edible, but nothing to write home about. Desert is either a cheese, chocolate or carrot cake (freshly-baked and recommendable). The tiramisu is palatable, and so is the fruit salad -- but do not expect anything fancy. Sbarro Tahrir Tahrir Square, Downtown Cairo Lunch for two: LE80
