As soon as I received an invitation to attend the weekly fish buffet at Omar's Café in the Cairo Marriott, my stomach was dancing on the inside and my taste buds were tingling in anticipation of a savory dinner. On regular days, Omar's Café serves an array of tantalizing dishes, from clear lobster soup and baked aubergines topped with cheese to a selection of appetizing main courses of both red and white meat. On Thursdays, however, the venue is turned into an underwater haven. A buffet is specially set on one side of the restaurant, guiding you from one end of the sea to the other, as friendly waiters and chefs eagerly answer your fishy-queries. If you are indecisive when dining a la carte, an open buffet will definitely spoil you for choice. After being greeted by our waiter and led to a table not far from the bar, my dinner partner and I decided to take a quick stroll across the buffet before going ahead with our orders. The first stop was the salad station, offering a colorful range of healthy appetizers. Ingredients included fresh cucumbers, grilled mushrooms, mozzarella, half-cooked zucchinis, fried aubergines, yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and much more. Alongside the veggies, seafood classics were also on offer: miniature calamari served in finger-glass bowls topped with coriander and freshly squeezed lime, as well as coiled smoked salmon topped with capers. Next came the bread; an assortment of brown and white buns, patties, pita bread, bagels and slices of French baguette were on offer, placed unevenly next to a giant bread-made-crocodile to go with the seafood theme. All seemingly fresh, some were topped with grains or thyme while others were left for one's own choice of dip. Across from the pastry section stood a couple chefs with their pans, fully-prepared with recipes from around the globe. A hug fridge was centered showcasing fresh fish placed on a bed of ice from which we chose our main course. For starters, we opted for soup and salad. As the chef prepared our shrimp and mussel soup, I headed to the salad corner, serving a mixed platter of caprese, smoked salmon, zucchinis and calamari-in-a-glass. Our selections were complemented by the fluffiness of a fresh bun of white bread topped with thyme. Choosing a balance of fresh veggies and seafood was a fine choice since the rest of the meal was predominantly a choice of the latter. Our soup was served in medium-sized metal soup containers with a slice of bread placed on top. Mouthwatering as it was, I could taste traces of both coriander and spinach, and to our surprise, tomato sauce. The miniature shrimps were as tender as they seemed raw, and the whole course was spiced up with garlic and lemon. As a side order, we were determined to try the shrimp kobebas, and we were not let down. Our main course was divided into three parts, inspired by three cuisines, all prepared before our eyes. The Thai platter was a boneless assortment of seafood swimming in a sea of mushrooms, cucumbers, broccoli, pickled corn, carrots, cheddar cheese and cabbage. With a hint of sugar and plethora of Asian sauces, it was by far my favorite course of the evening. The second platter included bonbon fish and shrimps. We ordered two of each; one fried the Egyptian way - breaded with flour - and the other grilled. The mini fish were exquisite, crunchy on the inside, soft on the outside, preparing us to what came after: a grilled denise fish cooked a la Italian topped with fresh coriander. Although I didn't soak my share of fish with lime like did my dinner partner, I too savored every bite. After such a festive meal, my dinner partner opted for a selection of big-bite-size cakes topped with fresh fruit while I enjoyed a fresh peach. Keeping in line with its name, and the general theme of the hotel, Omar's Café maintains an oriental feel. The walls were dotted with authentic garments, black clocks adorned with colorful Bedouin embroidery, as well as ouds and a number of musical instruments. The lighting was too faint however, leaving us struggling as we occasionally dug out bones from our fish. The simple, wooden interiors coupled with the soft calming tunes in the background kept us comfortable for the entire meal. We flew to Asia and back, across the Mediterranean and back, finally landing in the comfort of our own beds with light stomachs and an evening well spent. Omar's Café fish buffet is available every Thursday from 6:30 pm-11 pm. Cost is LE 240 per person. Cairo Marriott and Omar Khayyam Casino, Zamalek. Tel: (02) 2728 3000.
