Smiley

Smiley is just past Murphy's bar, down a rather bleak side road opposite the Nile Palace at the southern end of town. From the outside, the restaurant is just as unappealing as its surroundings. The plastic styling and large backlit menu put you in mind of a Wimpy or McDonalds. We hesitated to open the door, expecting to see wipe-down tables and to be offered burgers.

The inside, however, bears no resemblance at all to the outside. A dozen tables are formed into two ranks in a long, thin interior boasting fresh decor, modern furniture and crisp clean table dressings.

The chairs have very upright backs with hollow centres that are not at all comfortable. The ceilings are high and the air conditioning is effective, so smoking at other tables disturbs non-smokers less than in some restaurants. Background music is not too intrusive and is sometimes accompanied by video on a large screen. At other times the screen has TV channels.

The menu is varied and includes a children's section. But be aware that the menu prices do not include a 10% local tax. This was not obvious from anything we saw, but 10% is added to the end of the bill. This is unusual for Luxor restaurants, which usually have inclusive prices and is a little misleading when comparing menu prices.

Main course prices are in the higher range. The menu price of a steak with sauce is from 42.55. This works out about the same as 7Ways, much higher than nearby favourite Maximes and in the Snobs range. Pastas and snacks are priced on the high side too, but soups and salads are more competitive at under LE10, as are local dishes, such as Tajine, for around LE25 - less for the vegetarian option.

The staff are smart and service was swift, polite and effective. Ingredient quality appears good and most of the food was well cooked and reasonably presented. Exceptions were the 'well-done' steak, which was barely dead and bleeding profusely and the meat in the tajine which could have been more tender. The steak was returned and re-cooked. It was fine second time around, but it should not be necessary to have two goes at a dish at these price levels.

Smiley seems to have an identity crisis. First impressions from the surroundings and the outside of the restaurant are that it is cheap and rather tacky. The presentation of the menu in vivid colours and on laminated card confirm this. Inside the restaurant has a different feel altogether and puts the visitor in mind of the nearby Casablanca restaurant. This ambience and the prices suggest a higher class restaurant. The food falls between the two.

Smiley is worth a try if you like to eat somewhere different each night but it is not among the best in town. There are lots of restaurants around the cluster of hotels at the southern end of Luxor and new ones seem to open regularly. With this level of competition there is no need to accept second best.