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Al Masri Is Alright With Me
By Laura Goodwin
Hello, Gentle Readers. Before I went to Al Masri, I had planned to start this, my first restaurant review, by telling you what led up to my review of this establishment. However, after my dining experience last night, I knew that I had to tell you first that this is the best time I have ever had at a restaurant. Ever. Including the time that my swim team managed to get ourselves kicked out of one when I was 12. So let me tell what went down during my visit to Northern California's only Egyptian restaurant.
First of all, my decision to do a restaurant review actually came to me at another eatery, the Moroccan restaurant Aziza. I was so impressed by their food, atmosphere and service that just telling my friends about it wasn't enough -- I had to let the world know. Unfortunately, when I got home I realized that I didn't know the names of anything I had eaten, nor did I know what was in them. And that my babbling about "that yummy purple stuff" wouldn't be terribly useful to anyone.
So one night a few weeks later found me flipping through the Entertainment Book, looking for a good place to review. And I stumbled upon Al Masri. Located at 4031 Balboa Street (in the outer outer Richmond --go to the ocean and take a few steps backward), Al Masri advertises itself as "tasty Egyptian food in a cozy setting." I was lured in by the photo (the food looked amazing) and the promise of "high-spirited dancers performing twice nightly." How can you beat belly dancers?
My boyfriend Eric and I prepared for our dinner by working up a good appetite. We spent the early part of the day as "salmon" at the annual Bay to Breakers. (Walking backwards along the course so we could see as many people as possible.) By the time dinner rolled around we were starving. We pulled up outside of the restaurant around 5:45 for our 6 p.m. reservation. Parking was moderately difficult -- patrons should be prepared to walk a few blocks. We spent the time waiting to enter by reading the menu and reviews posted outside their brightly painted doors.
At 6 p.m. on the dot, a man who turned out to be the owner's son welcomed us into the charming dining room and invited us to sit wherever we liked. I saw a balcony area, sort of a private dining room which I considered, but decided instead to go with his suggestion of the booth in the corner. Now, let's get something straight right now. I really know nothing about Egypt. I mean, I know where it is and about pyramids and mummies and stuff, but as for current events, culture, interior decorating and belly dancing -- just know that you are in the hands of an amateur. That said, I thought that the atmosphere was, well...cool. The tablecloths were a blue material decorated with gold stars and Egyptian symbols; the booths were comfortable blue faux leather; and the decorations were a mixture of Egyptian signs, pictures, plants, and soft lanterns. Rich colors are used everywhere, right down to the scarab beetle painted on what is advertised as the "stage" Ð a circular area about 10 feet in diameter.
As soon as we sat down, we were brought du'a. This unexpectedly delicious concoction involves dipping pita bread into extra virgin olive oil and then dipping this into a green, powdery mixture composed of sesame seeds, spices and what I think were powdered garbanzo beans. In addition to being scrumptious, this dish provided a nice change from the tasty but ubiquitous sourdough bread opener offered at so many restaurants throughout the city.
So far, a fairly normal dining experience, right? And then my education began. Prompted by the menu to use the restaurant to learn about Egyptian culture "and even current events," I asked our waiter (the same nice guy who had let us in the door) what was going on in the world today. I kid you not, for the next 20 minutes we talked about everything from Cairo's bid for the Olympics in 2012, to earthquakes, to the naked guy painted in silver who ran in Bay to Breakers.
In the midst of this, we downed our Hummus Bil Tahini appetizer ($6) in a blink. Served with more pita bread, this dish is described in the menu as "garbanzo pureed with lemon juice and tahini (sesame seed sauce), seasoned with garlic and served with extra virgin olive oil." It was very pretty, with the hummus in the shape of a flat bowl containing the olive oil and garnished with olives. And it tasted even better than it looked -- it was the most flavorful hummus I have ever tasted. I tried dipping it in the du'a mixture and that tasted really good too.
The good conversation made the wait for our entrees seem non-existent. The owner's son (whose name turned out to be Forrest) talked about the upcoming belly dance and made sure that we were staying to see the performance. His dad, Hatem El Sayed, wandered over to make sure his son was treating us right, and they vied in telling us how lucky we were to see this particular dancer, the "best in the world." I thought this was mere exaggeration on the part of the management, but it turns out that the dancer, Samar, is indeed internationally regarded, even in Cairo where they should certainly know.
We then talked to Hatem for another good 15 minutes. A retired clinical psychiatrist, this deep-thinking Egyptian was the source of fascinating conversation. We managed to cover politics, sociology, anthropology, religion, and, of course, Egypt. The restaurant's mission really is to educate the outside world about Egypt, and their love of it comes through very clearly. They do not even advertise the restaurant, depending on word of mouth and good newspaper reviews to bring in the type of customer that they covet. One review on the outside wall described the place as "more of a nightclub than a restaurant," but the owners want to make sure that the bar is not its focus. There are no stools at the bar, and they work hard (and succeed, I think) in creating an atmosphere where everyone is family.
After more time that seemed like nothing at all, our entrees arrived. I had ordered the Samak Mahshi ($21) Ð- whole seasoned fish stuffed with sautŽed onions and pine nuts and baked in extra virgin olive oil, then blanketed in a spicy tamarind-ginger sauce and topped with fried onions and roasted pine nuts. Not to be trite, but it really was a feast for the eye and the palate. There is nothing like a whole fish for presentation, and mine had even had an olive substituted for his eye. (Eric and I argued about whether eating the olive would be a desecration to the fish.) Dishes are served with a pyramid of rice and your choice of side dishes. I was talked into the Mulukhia by Forrest. Described as "Egypt's foremost local fare," this dish is sliced jute (which is akin to spinach in every way I could detect) cooked in a thick chicken stock. I was glad I had ordered it -- it was different from anything I've had before, but I did find it to be one of those dishes where the first five bites are amazing and then it just gets a bit too rich. Try it if you like rich and oily vegetable dishes.
Eric's food was even better than my fish (we switched plates halfway through -- don't tell Ms. Manners). He had the Lahma Mahshiya ($21) -- Filet Mignon stuffed with Egyptian feta and white cheese, seasoned and baked, then smothered in an onion-garlic-nutmeg topping. Yum. Seriously, just yum. As much as I liked the beef, it is possible that my favorite dish of the night was the accompanying pyramid of rice. In a brilliant move, it was flavored with cilantro. I've never had rice flavored this way before, but I can tell you that I will again. He also chose a side dish, the Basilla, which is sweet peas in a rich tomato sauce. It was good too and tastes pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
OK, I know I've probably told you more than you wanted to know already, but we haven't even gotten to the belly dancing yet. Or dessert. The dessert is easy to cover -- have the thing with shredded cheese and pine nuts and whatnot and say yes to the offer of syrup. Trust me.
We finished dessert around 8 p.m. and a few minutes later the music came up and Samar walked out. For the next 15 minutes she did the most incredible set of gyrations I have ever seen. If you've seen belly dancing before, you know what I mean, but let me tell you, this was better than the others I've watched. Again, I'm no judge of belly dancing, but in some indefinable way this seemed moreÉsomething. I talked to Forrest and Hatem about it afterward, asking them the standards by which belly dancing is judged. They talked about her superior technique, stamina, and interpretation of the music. (She will dance, in public, to a piece of music she has never heard before -- this is apparently very hard to do because there are certain moves which must be performed with certain types of rhythms.) I was simply enchanted and captivated.
After the dancing we started to think about heading out, but before we mustered the willpower, Samar came over to tell me that she had enjoyed watching me while she danced because I had a beautiful smile (I had been grinning like a five-year-old at Disneyland). We then proceeded to chat for a solid half hour. Poor Eric had to sit through extended discussion of dancing, female body consciousness, and the role of women in different cultures. On the other hand, Samar is a very pretty belly dancer, and she was standing on his side of the tableÉ
Finally, we dragged ourselves away. We shook hands with everyone and were enthusiastically invited to return. I offered to send them a copy of the article, and Forrest told me that I had to bring it in person. This was not just a dinner, this was an experience, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in, well, anything. Go with an open mind, ask questions about Egypt and have an awesome time.
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