I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Egypt a few times over the years and my memories are of turquoise blue waters, relentless blue skies and scorching heat.

All of which are about a million miles away from Margate’s grey, uninviting seas on an overcast October Wednesday.

But lurking within view of the Turner Contemporary is one of the town’s most intriguing eateries. And it is, to explain the introduction, Egyptian.

I have to be honest and admit every time I’ve been to Egypt I was holed up in an all-inclusive resort which tended to serve up a diet of Western foods for its clientele and those puddings which, however fancy and different they appear, all manage to taste both bland and identical.

But authentic Egyptian food? I had no idea.

So popping into the Alexandria Cafe on Market Street, with my Eat My Words hat plonked firmly on my balding head, was going to be something of a voyage of discovery.

Sat by the window watching the world go by, I started to peruse the menu (if you like falafel and fava beans you’re in luck) and was heartened to hear a couple nearby finishing their meal speak so highly of what they had just experienced. A good sign.

I was then further impressed by the lunchtime offering - the prices of which were all below £10… many by some margin. I already had a warm feeling about this place.

Wanting to get the full experience, I ordered a mint tea and for the main dish an Egyptian Koushary - one of the pricier items at £7.95 - but as it’s the national dish, it seemed silly to skimp.

While I waited, I took in the surroundings. Plants (of the fake variety) were strung across the ceiling but created a cosy atmosphere. There’s a portrait of - I am guessing here - Queen Nefertiti. But the main wall was adorned with black and white photos of - again I’m assuming here and you know what that so often makes us - a host of Egyptian movie stars from years gone by.

This is based purely on the fact the one face I recognised was that of Omar Sharif - he of Hollywood legend and a mighty ‘tache to boot.

Above the door to the kitchens is a TV screen with a black and white film playing, silently, which featured a young Sharif.

All this, while classic Egyptian music played unobtrusively in the background. In short, it creates a nice atmosphere and manages, by virtue of its food, to be unique in Margate. Which, given the explosion of eateries in the town over recent years, is quite something.

Anyway, the mint tea arrives, piping hot, but looking divine with fresh mint leaves bobbing about within a clear cup. It tastes perfect - the fresh zing of the mint making for a thoroughly refreshing drink.

A few minutes later, the koushary arrives. For the uninitiated (and I was among that number until I ordered it) it primarily consists of rice, green lentils, chickpeas, pasta (I try had to ignore the diet I’m on at this carb-tastic addition to a rice dish), tomato, garlic sauce and topped with a generous helping of dried fried onions.

If the first taste is with the eyes, then I’m intrigued if not fully sold on it. It lacks a little finesse, but I’ve not come here for la-di-da presentation.

A taste, however, puts my mind at ease. The rice is light and fluffy while the tomato provides the key flavour before you get the kick and crunch of the onions.

There’s a herb - can’t for the life of me remember its name (some food reviewer I am) - in there too which provides a subtle clout.

The clever bit is you pick up a different taste with almost every mouthful which makes it a bit of a treat.

For £7.45 it is a bargain. There’s a lot of it and by the time I’m through I’m full. The mint tea washes it all down beautifully.

It’s funny, because I wasn’t actually aiming to review this place. There was somewhere in the nearby Old Kent Market I was going to cast my critical eye over. But it seems Wednesday lunchtime is not the time to visit as most of the eateries within it were shut. Ditto a host of other nearby options.

But the Alexandria Cafe proved to be something of a super-sub.

Yes, the view is not of the Pyramids or the Valley of the Kings and the nearby sea does not boast multi-coloured fish swimming in crystal clear waters (more grey fish swimming in turd-infested waters) but you do, at least, get an authentic taste of a country whose cuisine is rarely on offer in these parts and made for a perfectly pleasant - and extremely well-priced (food, drink and a tip came to a little over £11) - meal.

Take my advice and check it out next time you’re in Margate.

Out of five:

Food: Interesting, tasty and the rest of the menu should be well worth investigating on a return visit. Scores highly for that rarest of things - offering something a bit unusual ****

Drink: Mint tea done well (and without an acre of sugar in it) is a treat - there were plenty of other options, but this hit the spot ****

Decor: Nicely decorated, understated, cosy little restaurant with a fine line in Egyptian Hollywood stars staring down at you from the wall. ****

Staff: Friendly, very efficient staff - couldn’t be faulted. ****

Price: An eatery, within a few hundred yards of the Turner Contemporary and surrounded by other restaurants, where you can get a filling meal and a drink for a smidge over £11? Bargain *****