This column spends considerable time seeking out unusual dining experiences in Cairo; places that are particularly new, good, innovative or somehow unique. While this approach is fine--a constant array of fresh and unique dining experiences undoubtedly keeps life interesting--it is certainly not everything. Many times we just want to walk down the street and have solid dependable food in our own neighborhood. For several months now, I've been a regular visitor to that part of Dokki between the Shooting Club and Mossadaq Street. Seeking a place I can easily walk for lunch, I arrived one day at the Cortigiano Italian restaurant along Michel Bachioum Street. Cortigiano, I am told, has a long, distinguished history in Cairo. Open for decades, it had begun to feel a bit worn at the edges, oozing past-its-prime charm. Newly reopened after a renovation, Cortigiano is back with a fresh face. It has even opened up additional branches--one each in Heliopolis, Maadi and Alexandria. Cortigiano is a solid, decent place. The newly refurbished interior is welcoming, albeit plastered in retro-kitsch knick-knacks; the wall is full of antique bicycles, models of trains, various garden implements. It's a family-friendly place--plenty of high chairs, separate smoking and non-smoking areas--and the friendly wait-staff don't seem to mind if your kids run a bit out of control. Wonderfully cheesy 80s music wafts out of the speakers, playing all-time oozy favorites that I hadn't heard in decades. The menu provokes a mild sense of concern; it's massive, and a lot of the selection is displayed in photos. There's a multitude of salads, pizzas, pastas and meats on offer. I've grown wary of too big a menu. Any kitchen that can produce such an astounding array of dining options on a moment's notice must be covering something up. Some of what they serve is excellent. We had a heaping mound of salad with fresh chunks of veggies--such an enormous portion that two of us sharing a single plate could hardly make a dent. We followed this up with penne pomodoro, the sauce had a lovely fresh zest to it. The only real disappointment was the chicken curry, though I must accept a piece of the blame for merely placing the order. This dish sums up everything that's wrong with this type of cuisine: a restaurant in Egypt without being Egyptian; serving Italian food without staying true to Italian culinary traditions; making use of Indian spices in a cluttered, haphazard manner. In the end, it's a bit of a mish-mash, neither here nor there; perfectly edible but ultimately disappointing. For dessert we had one hit and one miss; the crepes tasted like they came out of the fridge; the date pie was wonderful. My biggest complaint with the place is not the quality of the food, it's the portions. Cortigiano serves up massive heaps of food; the plates are oversized, and your dishes amply fill them. Accordingly, some of the clients, perhaps regulars, have a massive waist-line to show for it. This trend in restaurants, fueled, I must sadly confess, by American cuisine culture, strikes me as a bit tragic--shocking abundance in a land of scarcity; the promotion of dining habits almost guaranteed to end in obesity. Cortigiano is certainly acceptable. While it's not worth a detour, if you're in the area it will do just fine. At a recent lunch, the place was relatively full, including a group of about 20 well-behaved youth, and the kitchen didn't get too backed up. Not every meal out has to be an adventure. If you're in the area, and are looking for a basic dependable meal, then Cortigiano could be the place to go. Details: 44 Michel Bachioum St. open daily 1PM to 1AM. Lunch for two: under LE200. Tel: 19181. No alcohol; delivery available. Also branches in Maadi, Heliopolis and Alexandria.
