Thankfully the décor does not change (no bilious greens, suspect browns, and funereal greys as is sadly so often the case nowadays) but soft, two-toned ochre for the walls, soft reds and greens for the (comfortable) gilt Louis XVI armchairs, red and white crystal chandeliers,...silver cutlery--slightly shabby-genteel, old-world atmosphere--lovely. The food is totally safe (as in La Corniche) unlike most of the restaurants in town--a very important point when you are travelling. The cuisine is really very good considering this is not Paris or Geneva (fish and meat tend to be overcooked though). Of course many ingredients need to frozen (we heard a French person ask if the red mullet was fresh--probably thought it came from the Nile--some people do not travel well). The foie gras they usually do very well was not available this year because of the bird flu outbreaks in France. The desserts are also particularly good. All in all the 1886 ranks with a good French restaurant in France (this is no mean compliment) and is far, far better than the 1902 in Aswan where the food can be atrocious (e.g. the NYE dinner this year which will live in infamy). The French and foreign wines are ridiculously expensive because of the punitive taxes BUT the white Egyptian wines made with Chardonnay grapes from France are delicious and rank with a good Macon Lugny for ex. The reds tend to be a bit heavy. Most importantly the staff are both adorable and well trained. Mr. Nabil, the head waiter, must be commended highly for running a very tight ship. SO if you go, try to respect the place and the people who work there so diligently : no shorts, no T-shirts, no sneakers PLEASE! They will lend you a jacket if you don't have one.More
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