Restaurant review: Eastward ho Oh! For the love of olive, muses Gamal Nkrumah We were seated in a flash by one of the charming staff. She was smiling from ear to ear. And, I was relieved to know that it was not one of those plastic smiles that greet you at certain eateries. The convivial waitress handed me the à la carte menu, but being Friday, she explained that there was a Lebanese brunch buffet. "We have the buffet on Fridays and public holidays," she said. She proceeded to show me around. I soon discovered that it was not a Lebanese buffet but rather a Middle Eastern and North African one. There was, for example, Moroccan-style couscous, deliciously steamed to the perfect texture -- neither grainy nor soggy. The couscous was accompanied by a delicious lamb stew with vegetables. The lamb was succulent and flavoursome, the vegetables fresh and lightly cooked to retain their taste. It was a delectable mix. Zitouni has an unmistakably oriental ambiance. The restaurant, on the third floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, is spacious and spotlessly clean. It is crystal clear that it caters to a well-heeled clientele. Yet, it has a decidedly down-to-earth Middle Eastern feel. The combination is irresistible. The buffet, although it includes a few Lebanese mezzas, is composed in the main of dishes you will come across at any other five-star buffet. The dishes reoccur with monotonous regularity. And, that includes the oriental desserts -- typical Middle Eastern syrupy sweet pastries and puddings. Be that as it may, the Zitouni mezzas are a pretty penny well spent. The mezzas opened up the proceedings. I was careful not to stuff myself, though. The tabouleh (Lebanese parsley and cracked wheat, or bourghul ) salad was especially refreshing. The tart mix of finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint and spring onion was doused in freshly-squeezed lemon juice and just the right amount of extra virgin olive oil. Next, I plunged straight into the delights of the main courses. The problem with buffets, though, is that you must resist the temptation to sample everything on offer. You must choose which particular combination of dishes best suits your palette. And, remember not to pile up your plate. At Zitouni you are spoilt for choice. The range of dishes on offer is bewilderingly extensive. There were two soups, aads (lentils) and moloukheya. Even though Zitouni is supposed to be a Lebanese restaurant, the moloukheya was prepared the Egyptian as opposed to the Lebanese way. I pointed that out to the jovial waitress and she smiled and blushed. "Er," she started and went bright red in the face. I quickly changed the subject. I wondered, too, that they did not serve the kibbah nayeh, the ground raw meat Lebanese delicacy. I guess it would not go down well with the Egyptian clientele who have an aversion to raw meat of any kind. I supposed the kobebah shami would do. And, that was delightful. In Egypt it is often served oozing off-putting grease. The Zitouni variety is unmatched. Kobebah shami (Syrian meatball) is a dish that varies greatly from kitchen to kitchen. A high quality kobebah should be prepared using only a few drops of fresh oil, the meat lean and the cracked durum wheat soaked overnight and moist and thoroughly mixed with the ground meat. Pine nuts and more minced meat cooked with finely chopped onions are stuffed in the kobebah, the oval-shaped Lebanese delight. I eyed the affluent families that filled this eatery and recalled this verse from The Prayer Book: Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine: upon the walls of thine house Thy children like the olive branches: round about thy table. And, you do not have to rush matters and get up early either. The buffet lasts from 12 noon until 6pm. A word of caution, however. Like any other Four Seasons eatery, Zitouni wounds the wallet. Zitouni Four Seasons Hotel 1089 Corniche Al-Nil, Garden City Tel: 2791 7000 Buffet: LE277 per person
