Under the Tuscan Sun at the Cairo Marriott Hotel

Italian cuisine lover? Leave it to Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino to take you on a culinary adventure in their very own ‘Tuscany’. Their delectable Ristorante Tuscany is one of the few places to go to in the city for a truly authentic Italian food experience. Elements like the dark-wood decor; the dim lighting, the Italian background music and the fountain-like structure in the middle of the restaurant all work together to set the scene so beautifully. Cordial as can be, the waiter greets you with a smile and a fresh breadbasket and proceeds to prepare you a dip comprising of olive oil, balsamic and shredded cheese. Here is what we sampled for the rest of the night, taking us on a Tuscan journey.

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

For the appetizer, we ordered Italy’s classic tomato and basil bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil drizzle. It was as tempting as you can imagine and paired with a yummy pesto dip.

Insalata Rucola, Gorgonzola e Pera Grigliata

A grilled pear and blue cheese salad? Why not. With mouthwatering flavors, this salad is a level above your typical rocket salad experience.

Zuppa di Mare

Following the salad, we sampled the Italian seafood soup with salmon, shrimp, calamari and chunks of more creatures from under the sea. If you’re expecting a white creamy soup like the one you find at most fish restaurants in Egypt, think again. This was a thick, flavorful tomato seafood soup. Unique and yummy!

Lasagne con Ragu di Carne e Besciamella

With no doubt, this was the most delicious plate to land on our table. The lasagna enjoyed perfect consistency between the béchamel, grilled cheese, tomato sauce and minced meat. Not one ingredient stood out as too little or too much. It came as no surprise to us that the quality of the lasagna was superb since Tuscany restaurant creates all their pasta from scratch.

Fettucine Alfredo

You can never go wrong with this classic and delectable pasta dish. Generously portioned and oozing with a tasty white creamy sauce… You get the picture. Did we mention this pasta is also homemade?

Costine d’Agnello

When it came to the main dish, we ordered grilled lamb chops. With a succulent sauce, make sure to tackle it while it’s hot. The mashed potatoes on the side were also a great texture – almost creamy and buttery.

Scaloppine di Vitello al Vino Bianco

This dish was recommended to us as a signature Italian specialty. When we hesitated over the fact that the veal escalope is grilled not breaded, the waiter assured us this is how they would serve it in Tuscany. Naturally, we went along with it and we’re glad that we did. The white lemon herb sauce was delicious, and the veal…splendid.

I Dolci

We asked for the waiter’s recommendation when the time came for dessert and we were in for a surprise. A few minutes later, he arrived at our table with three plates:

Traditional Panna Cotta with strawberry sauce, warm-centered chocolate fudge cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and the best Tiramisu we ever laid eyes/taste buds on. Needless to say, it was as delicious as the mental image in your head. An impeccable ending to an evening well spent.

Ristorante Tuscany

Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino

16 Saray El Gezira Street, Zamalek, Cairo.

Telephone: 02 27283000 ext. 4661

By Sarah Guirguis