Nile Cafe: Pharoah, let my people nosh

Nile Cafe

811 S. Broadway

Phone: 410-327-0005

Price: $15-$20

Location: Fell's Point

Hours: Sun.-Thur.: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Fri., Sat.: 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

Web site: http://www.thenilecafe.com

Across the front pages of every morning's newspaper, it's likely that you will see a headline relating to the political situation in the Middle East. Whether in Israel or Saudi Arabia, Syria or Iraq, it seems like there is always trouble brewing in the region. Sometimes people might forget there is more to the Middle East than conflicts.

In fact, it is home to some of the best-tasting food which has spread throughout the world. The birthplace of Hummus and Shish kabob, Middle Eastern nutrition runs the gamut, and showcases the diverse cuisine that has erupted out of a desert climate. The Nile CafZ provides a sampling of the food of one specific country, Egypt.

Egypt? Yes, Egypt. They may be better known for their pyramids and King Tut's Tomb, but Egypt has quite an extensive cuisine that has evolved over millennia, not centuries (like the United States). Bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt interacted with other great culinary states like Italy, France and Spain through trade, so Egyptian food has had great influence in European restaurants.

The Nile CafZ, located on 811 S. Broadway in Fell's Point, is about a $10 cab ride from campus, one-way. If you go with friends (as you should), it is even cheaper. With a wooden fa?ade and outdoor seating, the cafZ quickly entices the passer-by to enter for some relatively cheap meal options. While Fell's Point usually attracts late-night revelers who come to frolic among the mass amounts of bars, The Nile CafZ provides a nice alternative for those who wish to remain sober and still have a good time.

Inside the kitchen, the chef uses an authentic wood-burning oven that allows for meals to fully cook in their own juices and aromas. The meal options are astounding. Soups such as Egyptian PurZed Yellow Lentil go for $3.95 and come with a slice of pita. Appetizers, ranging from $4.95 to $9.95, included Mousaka. For those of you are unfamiliar with this dish, it consists of Marinated eggplant, onion, potato and green pepper with a choice of tomato, lemon, or garlic sauce served with pita bread.

Another great dish is Mihshi Grape Leaves, which are rolled with rice, minced onion and garlic, flavored with lemon juice, cooked with olive oil and tomato, garnished with feta cheese and olive, served with cucumber yogurt sauce. It tastes as it is described: more than a mouthful.

For those of you who just don't know what to choose, you can go for the Middle Eastern Sampler, a combination of falafel, grape leaves, humus, Foole, Baba Ghannouge, Feta cheese, Tabouli salad, Tahina and pita bread. I'm not sure how, but apparently Egyptians managed to find all the ingredients for the delicacies somewhere in the fruitful Nile Valley, which provides the water source for most of the country's agriculture.

Looking for a little seafood? The Nile CafZ has it too. Try the Luxor Salad for $9.95, which includes grilled shrimp, sea scallops and a raspberry dressing tossed with greens, avocado, sliced orange and red cabbage. Leave the cucumbers at home, this is a salad Egyptian style.

Now, to everyone's favorite, the infamous Pitawiches which come with a house salad and curly fries. I went for the simple Nature Pitawich, made with falafel, hummus and onion with Tahina on the side.

Now many people forget the tahina when putting together a falafel, but it is a necessary part of any good falafel. It should be thin, not thick like the hummus, and allow for the meal to be consumed more easily. The Nile CafZ managed to get the meal just right, and along with the house salad and curly fries, no room was left for anything more, leaving myself completely satisfied.

Meat is all over the menu as well, for you carnivores. Chicken and Lamb Schwarma are just a few of the options. There are also a number of vegetarian pizzas available, which can be made with soy cheese or no cheese at all for die-hard vegans. There are also everyone's Megabytes favorite, Calzones.

For dessert, go for the traditional Baklava, described on the menu as Buttery phyllo pastry layered with mixed nuts and coated with semi-sweet Egyptian syrup.

The dZcor was relatively simple and the service was adequate, no complaints whatsoever, though the waiter did not go out of his way to please an obviously cheap college student. Still, as the rule goes, always tip 20 percent. And I did.