Hadijah’s katogo that will leave you asking for more
When it comes to budget meals, two items come to mind; the rolex and katogo.
As for rolex, there is not much that can be said of an omelet rolled in a chapatti.
Nothing exciting unless one chooses to create different types of omelets to provide variety.
I bet not many of you have ever heard of a Spanish potato omelet or an Aussie omelet or for that matter a Greek omelet with asparagus.
The list is endless but to be perfectly honest, price is the limiting factor because not many Ugandans would wish to pay more than Shs2,500 for a couple of eggs and a morsel of flattened unleavened bread. As I discovered recently, at Hadijah’s Restaurant off Rubaga Road near Bakuli, they have come up with an enterprising and tempting katogo meal that is proving to be very popular.
Katogo literally means a mélange and at Hadijah’s Restaurant this meal goes for just Shs4,000.
Naturally, matooke is a vital ingredient of any katogo meal. It can be accompanied by pasta and a smidgen of rice and a dollop of greens not forgetting a morsel of tough meat.
But the katogo served at Hadijah’s Restaurant is grand and hearty comprising matooke (always sine qua non), chapatti, pasta or rice, fried beans, greens and to crown it all a generous offer of tender and succulent fried boneless beef.
The meal is wholesome and tasty, redefining the traditional meaning of katogo.
However, before you make a beeline to the joint, a word of caution: The place is the size of a post card with less than half a dozen tables.
So cramped is it that even the veranda has been seized with a strong strapping lad holding forte to churn out chapattis.
But for all the lack, it is not easy to come across such a gem of a place where food is served with care and admirable attention.
Incidentally, there is really no correlation between price and the quality of the food offered.
From what I gathered, the lady behind the restaurant not only brings a wealth of experience to the business but it appears to be a shared family affair.
A good example of this esprit de corps is the service. As soon as you sit, one of the several nice looking waitresses approaches to take your order.
Every time I have been there, the food arrives within five minutes. Be it beef in groundnut sauce, chicken stew or fried beans be rest assured of fast service with a smile. While all is well in terms of the food, I noted several important issues that need urgent attention.
Surely uniforms for the waitresses should be in place and as for that conspicuous chapatti fellow; he really has no business being so visible.
Different story. Katogo in the ordinary sense of it is a light meal. But at Hadijah’s Restaurant in Bakuli, it is totally a different story.
THE DETAIL
Place: Hadijah’s Restaurant
Rating: OK/So
Food: Strictly traditional local food
Location: Butikiro Road, off Rubaga Road adjacent to Olympic Fuel Station
Smoke Free Zone: Not allowed indoors
Price Range: Katogo is Shs4,000 while beef stew is Shs5’000 and fish is Shs8’000 while chicken is Shs10’000
Service: Excellent
Ambience: Nothing has changed, a disappointment
Parking: On the street.
