Restaurant review: Artsy pancakes Gamal Nkrumah ascertains that art fits into the Cairo café scene Creperie Des Arts is a showcase for classy, albeit unobtrusive, contemporary cutting-edge Cairo café life. The energy generated by the place reverberates right across the leafy southern Cairene suburb of Maadi. It is a commercial success But it is also a place where art is created and debated, where people meet and where things happen. It is not a place where particularly big business is done, but it is a savvy charming eatery nonetheless. A leisurely dinner can be had chez Creperie Des Arts. Haby Mankarious is the proud owner of Creperie Des Arts. His brother Ramsis is the manager. Haby often drops in with his wife and young children. In fact, the little kids, brandishing Egypt's national flag, were in a state of unrestrained excitement when I visited the eatery for a light supper, and to watch the Africa Cup finals. The restaurant was unusually but understandably quiet. The waiters, owner and manager, all glued to the television, set still politely attended to my every beck and call. The décor, too, was enchanting. Portraits of Philippe Noiret and Gérard Philipe, Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe hang tastefully on the walls. My favourite was the portrait of a pensive Martin Luther King with the memorable words of the African American civil rights leader "I HAVE A DREAM" printed in bold letters. The ceiling was no less impressive. It was decorated with hundreds of foreign currency notes -- defunct French francs and German marks, United States and Canadian dollars and currencies from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The notes were arranged in pretty spherical shapes that circled above our heads. Creperie Des Arts has a cosy atmosphere, with its wooden homely chairs, freshly cut white flowers in pretty little cream vases on the tables, green framed posters, photographs and paintings. The delightful deep olive and green table cloths were inviting; the entire atmosphere subdued but unmistakably dapper. Haby -- his name is a corruption of the ancient Egyptian god of the Nile inundation and fertility Hapi -- argues that there are so many restaurants in Cairo today, it is vitally important to occupy a niche. "I am very much against the Americanisation of the Egyptian restaurant scene. Cairo is full of fastfood joints these days, and it is very convenient for many young people who actually believe that it is hip," he laments. "This is why I decided to set up a restaurant that specialises in French-inspired food," Haby adds. Ironic, because I thoroughly enjoyed the playful strains of American jazz music in the background. Haby is a man with a mission. He lived in France, Paris and Saint Malo for many years before he returned to his native Egypt. "Saint Malo, of course, is the home of crepe, and the picturesque Breton port was the major inspiration for the Creperie Des Arts." Haby reminisces about his beloved Saint Malo, once home to the biggest French harbour for the dreaded corsairs, the scrooge of the English Channel, excusez moi, La Manche, surrounded by Britanny's legendary forests and rugged cliffs. Replete with little touches and reminders of Bretagne, that enigmatic and esoteric westernmost French province jutting boldly into the Atlantic, the Creperie Des Arts is not just a taste of France, but it has plenty of character and vitality. The menu is conveniently divided into six sections. Salads, soups, meat, panini, galettes sarrasin and pancakes. My eyes fell straight on the galettes sarrasin -- whole wheat brown flour, irresistibly tasty, wholesome and healthy. The Force 4 sounded a tad too rich for me. And so did the popeye -- spinach, bechamel and fried eggs. Ditto the equally plenteous ham, gruyere and fried egg dish. I opted instead for the Nathalie -- goat cheese, green salad and walnut. And with the arrival of my delectable Nathalie any doubts about the pulchritude of the Creperie Des Arts quickly evaporated. It was just as good as it should have been. My companion decided to go for rumba à l'italienne -- anchovy, tomato, gruyere and mixed herbs. Slightly salty for my liking, the herbs added a saucy twist. We split an oscar pancake composed of a delicious stewed apple compote, lashings of cinnamon and walnut. A lovely end to a memorable dinner out at the Creperie Des Arts. Creperie Des Arts 30 Misr-Helwan Road (Behind Maadi Sofitel Hotel) Dinner for two: LE120 Tel: 2526 0082
