Restaurant: Ahl Cairo
Location: 13 Bell Street, London, NW1 5BY
Date of visit: 16 June 2017
Time of visit: 8.15pm
Choosing an Egyptian restaurant in the middle of Ramadan, falling right in the middle of an exceptionally hot London summer, was either a really good idea or a really foolish idea. The fact that the restaurant is not operating business as usual meant that we wouldn't get to experience a "normal" day at the restaurant. Conversely, we would get to experience a "special" day at the restaurant.
We arrived at Ahl Cairo just over an hour before sunset on one of the hottest days of the year. We walked in to what essentially, at first look, appeared to be a takeaway with a few cafe-style tables. But we already knew that the main restaurant was downstairs. On asking if we could have a table for two, it became clear that there was no normal menu tonight. The waiter we spoke to did go to some length to rattle off a list of some of the things that he *could* do for us. He also, fairly reluctantly, invited us to partake in the post-sunset Ramadan feast early, which we later found was already sitting out, covered, waiting for the evening ahead.
We didn't commit to anything at this point, but took our seats downstairs and contemplated the Ramadan menu. But it didn't seem the right thing to do, plus I already my heart set on a dinner of kochari.
Other than the two of us, and a handful of staff, the restaurant was empty. As we discussed our ordering options, a few bowls and plates were brought to the table.
A bowl of watery salsa with tomato, onion and coriander, a bowl of lemon and lime, a bowl of pickled olives, courgette, chillies, a bowl of mint sauce, a small pot of chilli sauce and a small plate of mixed fried vegetables.
When the waiter came to the table to see what we had decided, we asked him to remind us of a few of the dishes he suggested when we arrived. One of those was indeed kochari, which I went for. Elle decided to go for the Egyptian fattah. We were also encouraged to go for a couple of soups to start. With no alcohol on the menu, we both opted for a couple of cans of Diet Coke.
The service was attentive but direct. Not unfriendly, but very much sharp and to the point. But the guys in the restaurant were very busy preparing for the night ahead, setting all the other tables. I could imagine this place was going to get very busy very quickly. So I was quite keen to be done and out before sunset.
The restaurant was still empty. We spent a few minutes taking in some kind of soap opera or drama on the Arabic TV channel MBC. There was no music in the restaurant, only the audio from the TV.
The soups arrived fairly quickly. Elle had a pasta soup, which was thick - like a pea soup - with a generous amount of noodles. I had what was supposed to be lentil soup, but it was more like garlic, onion and rice soup. Both were decent. They looked quite appetising too, but you'll never know that as I forgot to take a photo.
Shortly after we finished the soups, the mains arrived.
My koachari looked exactly as I had expected and hoped. It was essentially a big bowl of rice, loads of tiny macaroni pieces, chick peas, caramelised onions and spicy tomato sauce. On its own, with all the carbs, it was a very dry, not massively flavoursome meal. That's where all the other bowls that we were first given came in! With the extra vegetables and sauces added, it really made the meal. Very wholesome and very filling.
Elle's fattah was another layered combination - a base of thin bread pieces topped with rice and two very large pieces of lamb, with garlicy spicy tomato sauce. One piece of the lamb was very soft and substantial, but the other piece was very fatty indeed. Again, with the additional veg and sauces, this was just as wholesome and filling as the kochari.
On asking for the bill, we were sent upstairs to pay at the till. Overall it came to £22, which is very decent for a substantial two-course feast.
As we left, we saw that the restaurant had taken on a delivery of a huge array of Middle Eastern sweets, laid out in dozens of covered trays. I can only imagine how very different the restaurant was going to be in a few hours time.
