Kiki’s

Kiki’ s,

A PASSION FOR COMMUNITY GIVES LIFE TO A RESTAURANT WITH ITALIAN CHARM

From a cooking enthusiast who loved hosting people at her place in the heart of El Gouna Downtown; a one-woman bar and restaurant reminisced with smiles and goosebumps; all through to today’s new favorite dining experience at Luštica Bay, in one word - Kiki! Let us take you through the journey of the beloved Kiki Scolari, the woman behind communities’ get-togethers, Italian flavors and a Tiramisu recipe to be passed down to generations.

Back in the 90s, Kiki used to live in the downtown area of Egypt’s first allyear-round resort town: El Gouna, Orascom’s flagship resort town. It was just another one of her evenings spent cooking with love, when she got a call from the man who revived El Gouna, wondering why he was never invited to try her famed food. Their encounter brought some unexpected but exciting novelties for Kiki: a venue for her to start her own restaurant with a condition to have the place fully functional in two weeks, just in time for one of Egypt’s highest holiday seasons called Eid Al Fitr. Kiki took on the challenge, worked her magic, turned her passion to a full-on restaurant, run solely by her!

Since then, her place – Kiki’s – was the community’s hangout; set on top of El Gouna’s museum building, with spacious terraces and stunning views of the town, welcoming people with a handwritten sign, carved and painted on a piece of wood that she had found lying around nearby.

Kiki was the chef, her own helper, the waitress, and the life of the party, always chatting with her guests with a warm smile and authentic Italian hospitality.

“It was the first time in Egypt to have a young girl in an evening dress talking to guests about the very limited menu, wearing her apron to cook in an open-view kitchen and come back to serve all the food. It was a small community at the time, all guests knew each other. The night would start with a sit-down dining atmosphere and then the music would pick up and people would spend the evening having after-dinner drinks until late at night and quite often until the morning hours.”

At the time, Kiki’s handwritten menu had only a few types of pasta dishes, bruschetta, one meat and one fish dish. Back then, it was quite the challenge for Kiki to find all the ingredients she needed and even had to drive to the city of Hurghada (about 45 minutes away) to get some tomatoes!

“My first gift ever in celebration was a stainless-steel slicing machine; before that I had to slice all cold cut bulks using a knife.”

The charming Kiki Scolari is now running Luštica Bay’s Kiki’s restaurant and Bar, turning what was only a tiny kitchen with a lot of aromas and flavors, into a full-on brand, with a team bringing together some of Italy’s best recipes to the whimsical Montenegrin coast.

We asked her what makes Kiki’s at Luštica Bay such a special dining sanctuary:

“I believe the uniqueness of Kiki’s Luštica is in its breath-taking location and the beautiful décor. It is named after the memorable place that always offered personalized and warm hospitality to owners, residents, and walk-in guests in Orascom’s first project, El Gouna. When you go to a restaurant and you are recognized and welcomed as if you are there every single day, and the staff knowing your favorite drink to start the evening with, how you like your meat cooked or how long to wait before serving your next course, that’s when you feel special and comfortable. This has always been what set Kiki’s apart and is still making the experience at Kiki’s different, unique, utterly loved.”

At Kiki’s Luštica Bay, the stars in the kitchen put together their knowledge of Italy’s classic recipes and Montenegrin cuisine flavors, crafting dishes in an authentic fusion of both worlds, bringing out gastronomic experiences rather than just items on a menu. The gnocchi are homemade and prepared daily and could be served with Kiki’s grandma’s timeless Bolognese recipe or a seafood medley cooked with fresh ricotta and herbs.

“All dishes are a blend of classic recipes with a twist that will always surprise our guests. Our menu is an innovative journey telling flavorsome stories from Italy, Montenegro, and international kitchens.”

When asked about her favorite thing in Montenegrin cuisine, she says:

“The local cheeses and cold cuts are of incredible quality, so is the meat, vegetables, and the locally produced olive oil. Rosemary and local herbs, for example, are the twists we give to the classic basil pesto on our Mix Herbs Pesto.”

“I believe the uniqueness

of Kiki’s Luštica is in its breath-taking location

and the beautiful décor.”

Tiramisu by Kiki

As an absolute star in the kitchen and a charm to be around and speak to, Kiki has decided to share with her epic Tiramisu recipe with our readers:

INGREDIENTS (serving six people) -300g of Mascarpone -3 eggs -3 tablespoons of sugar (more, if you like it sweeter) -Ladyfinger biscuits -Coffee

*For every 100 g of Mascarpone, use one egg and one tablespoon of sugar.

PREPARATION Brew the coffee, either mocca or a long espresso. The quantity will vary depending on the number of portions you are planning to prepare. Add sugar and let it cool. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. In a bowl, hand mix (always better by hand so you would pour your passion and love into the process), the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and creamy. The sugar should be completely blended in. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until very firm. With your hand, add the mascarpone with a whisk to the egg yolk/sugar cream, until completely smooth. With a wooden spoon (or silicone spatula), slowly add the whipped egg white to the egg and mascarpone cream, then cover with cling film. Pour the coffee on the Ladyfingers biscuits, once soaked, pour your Mascarpone super airy and soft cream on top. Sprinkle with cacao, use a sieve, cover with cling film and refrigerate at least 45 minutes before serving.

You can store your Tiramisu for a few days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Although they are not meant to offer traditional Montenegrin cuisine, the team at Kiki’s tries to serve dishes that are an authentic representation of the coast; their Polenta gratin with cheeses and wild mushrooms is, for instance, one of her mentioned favorites. In case you decide to make your way to Kiki’s while in Luštica Bay, make sure to ask for her recommendations and try one of our own personal favorites: the ‘Montenegrin starter’.