CAPITAL KITCHEN: Relish exotic dishes

One of the dishes served at Capital Kitchen in Kampala. NET PHOTOs.

What you need to know:

MULTICUISINE SPOT. Capital Kitchen with its cosmopolitan crowd deals in mostly Brazilian, Japanese, Chinese and other delicacies.

A few months ago saw the advent of Capital Kitchen that is billed as “a variety of unique world food and beverages to Kampala contemporary dining format, right in the heart of Kampala City…” True to its word, Capital Kitchen offers an extraordinary tour de force in terms of food and, perhaps more than the average palette can readily appreciate.

The menu
Not surprisingly, there are several signs that are prominently displayed urging diners not to waste food which is a big problem given the fact that it is impossible to be an expert in all manner of culinary experience. People being creatures of habit, they are bound to be curious and heap their plates with unknown runners such as crunchy minas cheese with tomato and pesto or chicken feijoada from Brazil where the latter is not only the national dish from there but is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Similarly, hummus which is a Levantine dip or spread that is made from cooked and mashed chickpeas or other beans and blended with tahini, olive old, lemon juice, salt and garlic is very popular throughout the Middle Eastern countries. Likewise, Chinese stir fries are wonderful and so is Japanese sushi and tempura and of course the Indian curries.
Local
When it comes to local food, it was rather out of place to see a huge pot of matooke with all the attendant banana leaves visible. I guess what I am trying to say is that trying to be a jack of all trade and master of none is such a tall order and while at the moment they are packing them in, I am inclined to believe that this is because of the cheap and affordable 50 per cent discount which works out to Shs 20,000. By all accounts this price tag is a great bargain and will certainly draw the punters, but at Shs40,000 it is a different kettle of fish all together.

Verdict
Sadly, wastage of food is rampant and difficult to curtail. I believe Capital Kitchen will give many a Ugandan a chance to explore new and different foods from other parts of the world, but whether or not this business model is sustainable remains to be seen.
I believe there is a lot to be said for specialisation and for some of us old timers there is nothing to beat dining out at a good Italian or Indian food when we feel the urge.

If you go…
The Place: Capital Kitchen
Rating: Worth a visit
Address: Thobani Centre, Kampala Road
The space: Impersonal, cavernous and cold and highly impersonal.
The crowd: Extremely cosmopolitan
The bar: A wide variety of drinks
The menu: Brazilian, Italian, Indian, African, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, American and Mediterranean.
The damage: Shs20,000 as a special introductory offer until the end of October 2018, normally it would set you back Shs40,000
Sound level: Good
Parking: Available in the basement
If you go: Open every day of the week
RATINGS: These ratings are purely the reviewer’s personal reaction to food, ambience and service with price being factored into consideration. The menu listings and prices are subject to change without notice.