Park by day, eat by night

RESTAURANT REVIEW. As the dusk approaches, what was a parking lot by day, transforms into an eatery. This is definitely one of those things to see in the city, no wonder we were drawn to Magic Restaurant.

Magic Restaurant is a joint that was literally carved out of a parking lot. Naturally, the fact that it is situated in a very prime location is an advantage of inestimable value. Anybody who thought that they can attain the same results using the same formula in parking lot in the boonies would be in for a rude awakening.

Location, location, location is everything and Kimathi Street, Christ the King Church, La Bonita do not come better in terms of landmarks. Mind you, parking at this place does not come cheap; this is definitely what one would call a place for those in the middle upper class league and when they decided to create the restaurant part, this clientele was considered to be essential in order for the venture to succeed.

Today, not only is there a thriving parking lot with a classy car wash service, not to speak of the restaurant , the muchomo in the evening and the Friday oldies but goodies night. This last event attracts a particular segment of middle aged and affluent Ugandans who always look forward to this musical bonanza, an event that few would wish to miss.
The lunch menu is mainly traditional with emphasis on simple and time honoured stews that are devoid of herbs such as tarragon, thyme, parsley and cilantro. The clientele are business people (Ugandans) who work in the vicinity and hanker and crave for that sort of food.

On any given day, one is bound to be served chicken, beef stew, fish stew, boiled beans, groundnut sauce, matooke and an array of sweet potatoes, pumpkin and cassava. It goes without saying that greens or vegetables in season are always present and as a concession to those with a less down to earth palate, some form of pasta is usually present. Naturally, one will not be served spaghetti Carbonara or Fettuccine Alfredo nevertheless pasta it is.

As dusk settles in, the waitresses earnestly begin to move the tables and chairs from the restaurant to the parking lot that is soon transformed into a totally al fresco area where the revelers can drink and informally partake of muchomo of goat meat and chicken as well as Nile Perch while pork is a definite no no. Katogo is also available and is surprisingly very popular.

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AT A GLANCE

The place: Magic Restaurant, Kimathi Avenue opposite La Bonita Theater.
Ratings: OK/so
Ratings: Not to be missed, worth a visit, OK/so so, don’t waste your time.
The Space: A small and rather cramped semi al fresco joint that can about 30 people that is busy in the day while after 5pm the parking lot becomes a huge meeting place for muchomo and drinks in the late night.
The Crowd: Mostly Ugandans.
The Bar: Soda and juice during lunch and alcohol in the evening.
The type of food: Lunch is decent local food that is served until late in the afternoon.
The check: A plate of food is Shs15,000
Parking: Available though at hefty cost.
What we liked: Friday night oldies and the muchomo after hours.
If you go: Lunch is served from 1pm to 5pm.