Felfela Din

The decor toed the line between sort of overly-ornate and cheesy to interesting. There were lots of bird cages, faux grapevine, stained glass pendants, earthy wooden tables, stone slab floors, small water fountains, odds and ends hanging on the walls, and framed autographs. Very much playland meets rusticity

The staff was attentive, and not intrusive. We asked for more time in deciding what to order, and the waiter did not come back again until we signaled him over. We did get lots of hot, fresh pita with dipping sauces while we mulled over what to order.

Eventually, I ordered the pigeon, or hamama (sp?), stuffed with rice and lentils. It came with sliced squash, carrots, and a starchy vegetable on the side. The meat was very little, obviously because of the size of the pigeon but I found the meat to be tender, and the skin crisp. I liked the way it was prepared, it was not overcooked, or undercooked. The dish was perfect, light fare for a first meal in Egypt. My hibiscus lemonade was a bit on the sweet side but was refreshing after a somewhat hot day.

Anny enjoyed her leg of lamb, although like me, she prefers slightly spicier food. She tried my food and enjoyed it as well. I did not try hers as I don't eat red meat.

We split the bill evenly, which amounted to 137EGP, and gave some tip. Ultimately, the dinner was fine, pretty good, though expensive comparatively for Egypt. We never revisited during our stay, as we wanted to actually eat with more Egyptians, rather than just with the overwhelming number of tourists that frequent Felfela.