Restaurant review: Grill with a view Exorbitantly expensive, but you pay for the panorama, notes Gamal Nkrumah Although the Nile's waters dominate the scene, the surrounding skyscrapers cannot be ignored, nor pinned down. Cairo's five-star hotels -- the major landmarks of the city's riverside vista can be seen in all their splendour. By exuberant contrast, the Vodafone feluccas with bright crimson sails pass languidly by. The ambiance is tranquil and serene, and the whiff of grilled meats fills the air. Yet Al-Kababgy, one of Sofitel Al-Gezira's most authentic restaurants, boasts something other eateries in this plush hotel cannot. It is the place where opulence meets Nile, and luxury, the Eternal River's waters. It is just one of the many attractions of the hotel, a veritable Cairo landmark that has recently undergone a change of management. It used to be run by Sheraton, now it is the Sofitel. Doves and seagulls hover overhead, and the shrill shrieks of the latter sharply contrast with the soothing coos of the former. Behind the benign exterior, Al-Kababgy is hard to fathom. It is the perfect escape, if you can afford it. The food is superb, but the portions vary considerably. The main courses are generous. Kebabs and grilled chicken and pigeon are on offer, but I wanted to taste something different, so I opted for liver. And, it was a fine choice. The veal liver was cooked to perfection. It was succulent and juicy. The natural flavours oozed out of the lightly seared liver -- a delicious brown from the outside and a pale pink on the inside. However, for LE75, it was far too costly, but I guess one pays for savouring the liver amid the enchanting surroundings of an incredibly magnificent vista. I became captivated all over again: this particular spot used to be one of my favourite haunts. However, refurbished and recreated as an oriental grill, it is far prettier, and more inviting than before. It is an ideal environment for relaxing and the traffic and din of the city seem a million miles away. All you hear is the gentle smacking of the waves against the rocks on which the restaurant stands. The food, too, is as delightful as the scenery. The bread, freshly baked straight from the oven right across from where we sat, was quite simply divine. The mezzas were a heavenly mix of oriental dishes -- mittabbel, grilled skinned aubergine with lashings of garlic and extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil. A delectable spread, but it comes at an exorbitant price. Freshly-squeezed lemon juice costs LE22 and a cup of Turkish coffee LE20. Bottled mineral water costs LE20 and a can of Pepsi Cola LE16. The chicken livers, not particularly expensive at LE30, were deliciously spiced, obviously marinated for a long time and lightly grilled. My partner tried the chicken liver and pronounced them perfect. Unlike with the main courses, the portions of the mezzas were on the small side, though that is the traditional way with mezzas. The beauty is in the presentation of the dishes and they are quite filling. The tabouleh, the fabled Lebanese parsley and burghul (crudely crushed buckwheat) was tart and fantastically fresh. The chickpea and sesame spread were scrumptious and so was the fatoush -- another Lebanese salad with lettuce, tomato, olive oil, toasted pitta bread and sume ', a tangy Levantine herb which exudes a lemon- like flavour. Al-Kababgy's location is its trump card. But it is also a bit of a puzzle -- water is usually associated with the denizens of the deep, and yet it was the intoxicating aromas of grilled meats that overwhelmed us at El-Kababgy. The great thing, however, is that there is no suffocating smoke from the grills that normally characterises kebab eateries. Perhaps it was the balmy breezes from the Nile. The golden sunset and soft autumn sun rays engulfed everything in loveliness. The ambiance of the place was riveting and continued to pulse through us long after we left this superlative life-enhancing eatery. Al-Kabagby Sofitel Al-Gezira Tel: 02 273 73737 Dinner for two: LE350
