The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

When
Ramadan rolls around, most of us end our long day of fasting with an elaborate,
ample meal, often gorging way more than necessary. A great restaurant for such a fetar is Tempo, located in Allegria Compound in the Cairo suburb of Sheikh
Zayed. Tempo occupies a villa with an indoor eating area as well as an outdoor
eating area overlooking the Greg Norman signature golf course. Serving
breakfast, lunch and dinner all year round, Tempo also offers an open buffet
for Ramadan.

On a random
Ramadan Monday, the buffet offered succulent shish kabab and shish kofta, rice
with cinnamon and nuts, as well as whole chicken pieces in a red sauce, a
variety of grilled and steamed vegetables, and Chinese noodles with meatballs. Patrons
also had a choice of soups: chicken vermicelli and cream of potato. Also on the
menu were meat cubes in a brown glaze, puréed potato, and courgettes with
béchamel sauce.

Already set
on the table upon our arrival ten minutes before fetar were glasses of karkadeh
and amar el din and appetisers such as kobeba, cheese sambousak and a plate of foul,
in addition to salad, pickled cucumbers, baba ghanough and tehina. 

As for our
main meal, the rice was surprisingly very close, if not identical, to its
homemade counterpart. The meat cubes in a brown glaze were perfectly cooked; neither
too tough nor falling part, which is an achievement in itself. The steamed
veggies were a bit overcooked, but the grilled veggies were textbook
perfection.

The dessert
corner offered perfectly cooked, velvety crème brûlée, crème caramel, om ali,
and chocolate mousse, all of which were pre-prepared in individual serving cups
and mini-bowls. The dessert corner also served freshly cut fruits such as
mango, pineapple, watermelon and plums.

The mousse
cup had a layer of soggy rice crispies at the bottom, but the mousse itself was
very rich and well-made. The amar el din fell short of the homemade version by
being too watered down, but the karkadeh compensated by being on point in its
perfect ratio of sweetness to tanginess.

Luckily the
weather was quite pleasant, coupled with a set of outdoor fans that kept a
steady breeze wafting our way. A large outdoor screen featured a selection of
Ramadan TV programming, as did the flat-screen TV set indoor to accommodate the
indoor eating area.

Part of
Tempo also serves as a golfing shop catering to the golf course’s users, many of whom came straight from the course
to fetar. The décor is casual chic, with the interior furnished in
contemporary neutral-coloured pieces. A wall of bookshelves invites you to have
a read if you’re flying solo for breakfast or a midday coffee.

The price
of 123LE per person covers everything already set on the table and offered at the
buffet. You will be charged for sodas, juices and hot drinks. But for this
rate, the offerings and their quality, along with the atmosphere and the view
were a definite hit with this reviewer.