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

Named after the Italian saint of the
blind, Santa Lucia is a restaurant in Downtown Alexandria that maintains the
charm, romantic ambience and quality food of its golden years.  

Walking down the bustling Safeya
Zaghloul Street, you may be distracted by the Downtown crowds and the noisy traffic
jams, until a man in a red and black tuxedo with an inviting smile appears,
greeting and ushering your party through a wooden doorway.

Santa Lucia’s interior is decked
with antique Italian furniture, marble floors, wooden panelling and a mezzanine
level. The ground floor’s window-side tables are perfectly secluded from the
outside world by opaque glass draped with teal curtains.

An antique wooden staircase leads to the mezzanine
level, which holds a beautiful grand piano on the left and additional seating
on the right. All tables are exquisitely set with bright flowers and a candle
to balance out the dim lighting. A remarkable pianist
plays every evening at 9PM, adding warmth and familiarity to the restaurant’s elegant atmosphere.

Santa Lucia’s selection of appetisers are
delightful and perfect for sharing; they come in a variety of hot and cold
mezzas ranging from 20LE to 60LE. The mushroom à la crème, calamari cups and the
beef Carpaccio are all delicious options.

Going through a five-course meal will require
a large appetite; their portions are pretty substantial. An appetiser, soup
and salad, as well as a main course and dessert would cost more or less around
200LE per person, including beverages.

The main course options are standard and range
from 25LE up to 70LE, including fish, poultry and meat as well as pastas and
risottos. The chicken a la king, osso bucco and the tournedos Charlemagne as
well as the sirloin steak were all spot-on.

It would be very wise to leave just enough
room for dessert, which comes in a great variety and ranges between 18LE to 22LE.
Try the tiramisu or the chocolate rhapsody; both are highly recommended dessert options. A wide selection of both local and imported wines and spirits is also available.

The service definitely adds to the
experience. However, on busy nights it may become a little frustrating and slow.
In general, Santa Lucia’s waiters are very polite and extremely attentive to
any customer’s complaint.

With its distinctive atmosphere and
elegant crowd, Santa Lucia is worth making a trip to Alexandria.