It is tough being a food critic when you are constantly asked the same question: 'Harry, where the heck can we find a decent Tunisian restaurant in this part of the world?' Finally, the question has been answered: in Macau, on Rua Bispo Medeiros, a little street near Lou Lim Iok Gardens.
Here, a delightfully ebullient Tunisian, Gutouni Hicham, runs the Sharazad restaurant with a combination of faith, hope and couscous.
The faith is that all those who claim to love Tunisian food will come. The hope is that the shipment of Tunisian wines will arrive soon to replace a paltry selection of Portuguese stuff. The couscous is simply one of the dishes he does best in a full menu.
Tunisian food is not among the haute cuisine of the Arab world. Moroccan food is more sophisticated and sensuous, Egyptian has more imagination. Algerians wisely stick to a lot of French dishes, while the Libyans and Lebanese make up the Omega and Alpha of food.
But Tunis is such a marvellous city dining in the bazaars is always a pleasure.
But the Sharazad is no bazaar. It is a plain little establishment with a few Tunisian posters and a dozen ricketty tables. In fact, the only clue of Tunisian food is the menu and the Arabic music.