Restaurant review: In stitches An Italian restaurant in Rehab City leaves Gamal Nkrumah less than impressed In spite of its pretentiously Italian appellation, Rehab's Mercato Italiano is a rather conventional posy. This eatery is essentially a shisha (hubble-bubble or hookah) joint. Couples and colleagues relax on weekends spending lazy afternoons chatting and gossiping. In winter, however, it is never full. Nevertheless, the strategic location of the restaurant in the middle of the Food Court in the heart of Rehab attracts many customers. After all, it is a fast food joint, and there is a kind of earnestness that Italian-sounding dishes bring to the fore. It was somewhat of an accident that I happened to find myself in Mercato Italiano last week. I had seen it before, many times, but its trendier neighbours in Rehab's Food Court always seemed far more attractive. However, my son fancied pizza and so in we went. In the end, it was enjoyable enough. Mercato Italiano is anything but upmarket. The food arrived in bits and bobs. First came the fresh juices we had ordered, but more about that later. I had no intention of having pizza, but to my shock and horror, two pizzas promptly arrived. "But we ordered only one pizza not two," I protested. A terrified-looking waiter pleaded sheepishly that he would have to foot the bill if he were found out. I only wanted a fresh fruit drink. I opted for mint and lemon without sugar. My son Karim pronounced it tasteless, but I thought it wasn't bad. Youssef, his younger brother, did not dislike it, either. Mercato Italiano, a new outlet in the centre of one of Cairo's new satellite cities, makes a none-too-subtle appeal to cosmopolitanism. However, in my humble opinion, it fails miserably to do so. In every respect, it is a thoroughly Egyptian eatery. It is only fair to point out, though, that the dishes on offer are Italian-inspired, I suppose. The frutta di mare pizza tasted much the same like any other seafood pizza in town. It also had the same ingredients -- the squid, bell peppers and shrimp. Actually, the latter were prawns, I suspect. They were far plumper than the usual fast food pizza joint shrimp. It is not that they do not make the effort at Mercato Italiano. Still, advertising itself as a "Taste of Napoli" is misleading, since Mercato Italiano is a far cry from the Mediterranean port city of Naples. The pizza was far from perfect, but palatable. And then, there is the ambiance. The wrought iron chairs and tattered menu were sufficient cause for another round of laughter. According to the menu, no small number of dishes came out of some "brick oven". The brick oven itself could be seen at a distance and, periodically, it would cough out oddly odious odours. That tickled the boys, and we had a good laugh. Next, a sour-looking electrician and his helpers came to fix the lights. They moved lackadaisically from table to table, from one corner of the restaurant to another. It was a windy December evening and the chill was bitingly cold. The plastic sheets that were supposed to shield us from the wind were flapping wildly. The kids took it all in their stride. By the time the ketchup flew all over the place, they were in stitches. In fact, another criticism of Mercato Italiano on a busy weekend could be raised at the noise level. That particular evening it was perceptibly unsettling. The electricians were noisy enough, but the strange strains blaring from the loudspeakers only made matters worse. The service was far from exemplary, but it may be that the waiters were caught on a bad day. Predictable fast food fare, bad weather, deafening sounds and electricians at work might not be the most inviting mix. Be that as it may, this particular snack outing will be fondly remembered. The bottom line is that Mercato Italiano, after all, is a fast food joint and refinement is not its stock in trade. Mercato Italiano The Food Court Rehab City Tel: 2690 7283 Lunch for two: LE100
