| |  How the Ancient Egyptians Put Their Feet Up: Furnishings in Ancient Egypt
By Ilene Springer Mr. Mohamed Arabi: The "Bird Man" of Aswan
By Dr. Susan L. Wilson A Brief Look at the Sinai
By Jimmy Dunn Mummies of Ancient Egypt: The Process and Beyond
By Catherine C. Harris The Lost Feeling, Or Was It a Mummy?
By Arnvid Aakre Breaking the Color Code
By Anita Stratos Alabaster: Egypt's Rock of the Ages
By Sonny Stengle Wreck Diving in the Egyptian Red Sea
By Ned Middleton The Animals of Ancient Egypt
By Caroline Seawright  Editor's Commentary
By Jimmy Dunn Ancient Beauty Secrets
By Judith Illes Book Reviews
Various Editors Hotel Reviews
By Jimmy Dunn & Juergen Stryjak Kid's Corner
By Margo Wayman Cooking with Tour Egypt
By Mary K Radnich The Month in Review By John Applegate Egyptian Exhibitions
By Staff Egyptian View-Point
By Adel Murad Nightlife
Various Editors Egypt On Screen
By Carolyn Patricia Scott Restaurant Reviews
Various Editors Shopping Around
By Juergen Stryjak Web Reviews
By Siri Bezdicek Prior Issues May 1st, 2001
April 1st, 2001
March 1st, 2001
February 1st, 2001
January 1st, 2001
December 1st, 2000
October 1st, 2000
September 1st, 2000
August 1st, 2000
July 1st, 2000
June 1st, 2000 | | | Restaurant Five Bells, Cairo By Daniel Lanier  Recently I was dining in a restaurant, which pleasantly mixed various styles and atmospheres in a surprising way. I sat in a wonderfully romantic section of a nearly European-style garden, next to a little baroque fountain, surrounded by sculpted cherubs. I found myself gazing at a statue of Ramses while listening to soft Sixties music. A unique but somehow soothing combination. My dinner began with a marvelous first course of a miraculous cheese cream from Egyptian white cheese and tomatoes and with bread; I went on to T’ammiyya (Falafel), Fuul (fava beans), French onion soup and ended up with a mixed plate with different kinds of grilled meat. Around me at the other tables were sitting Egyptians, French, Germans and Americans.  Five Bells is a relaxing green garden oasis for almost everyone’s taste, in the middle of urban Cairo. I thought: no matter from what nation my guests will be, they can’t go wrong. Egyptian food? No problem, Five Bells offers everything from stuffed vine leaves to several mezzas, from Dawood Basha to Shish Tawook and Kebab, from Baba Ghannoug to Tehina and to Om Ali nearly everything (except Molokhiyya). Italian kitchen? Just choose between several spaghetti and risotto dishes! Meat and seafood? Don’t worry, escalope and fillet, from veal, beef and lamb, with mushroom or curry or pepper or lemon sauce, fish grilled or in white sauce and … and … and… I even found lamb testicles on the menu. Don’t ask me if this is a very delicious international specialty or just a local tradition. I didn’t dare to ask.  Five Bells has something for everyone’s taste. Yet, I saw the whole patronage that evening ordering a specialty of the house: Fondue Bourguignonne. Every half an hour the waiter brought a large pot with  hot oil to one of the tables, with several sauces, french fries and fillet cubes for frying them by yourself in the hot oil – 60 LE (16 US-$) for two persons. Among the dishes I tasted, I found exceptionally delicious the Beef Stroganoff and the mushroom sauce, which I ordered to the mixed grill plate. All main dishes cost LE 29 ($ 7.50), which is rather inexpensive – even if you add 12 percent service charge and LE 3.50 cover charge. A elegant and noble atmosphere with good food, for a very reasonable amount of money.  The dining rooms inside are finely decorated with paintings and a large 250 years old gobelin, which had its original home in the Upper Egyptian palace of the family of the restaurant’s owner, in Assiut. Part of the location is a cozy English pub and a bar, where regulars even can bring with them and leave their own bottles of alcoholic drinks. The bottle gets a sticker with the name of the owner, will be kept in the bar’s refrigerator and stays there until the bottle’s owner finished it, no matter if this takes him one day or one year. Every Thursday plays a live band. My personal opinion: My favorite is the garden, without a doubt. It is the best part of the restaurant, a wonderful oasis in the middle of Cairo. If you are nearby any afternoon, just drop in for having a relaxing coffee or a soft drink, have a look into the menu, enjoy the garden – and you probably will develop the desire return at night again, for a romantic dinner. Restaurant Five Bells. 9, El Adel Abou Bakr Street, Zamalek, Cairo. At the corner Ismail Mohamed Street. Open daily from 12:30 pm to 1:30 am. | |
