Boiled chicken in its natural form. PHOTO/KIRONDE
While the dining scene in and around Kampala continues to grow apace, sadly the direction and focus has always been towards continental and ethnic runners with scant regard for Ugandan fare, which in many ways is a shame.
Diners are a finicky lot who have honed their taste buds to appreciate what we can call the ‘new food’; a distinct difference from the traditional and staple matooke and nyama which is the daily at home.
Yes, every Ugandan household besotted with their traditional food and have been nurtured on it from birth and to expect mother to cook fish and chips or chicken cacciatore, would border on heresy.
People are a creature of habit and are always slow to accept change, be it Ugandans, Kenyans, Jamaicans or Brazilians.
It is a fair assumption that a good business model for an eating joint would be keen to have in mind the majority of the population as their key catchment sample and the best example I can give of this model is Café Javas.
Far the vast majority of their clientele are Ugandans who love the multi cuisine menu that more than raises the bar, while at the same time dining in an eclectic and inspired environment. Truly a winning combination.
We were pleasantly surprised when we recently stumbled upon La Koi Restaurant in Bugolobi, which bills itself as serving local food with emphasis on Northern Ugandan fare. What is not in doubt is that La Koi is a niche restaurant offering majorly Ugandan food.
While kalo (millet bread), posho and matooke are frequently eaten in that part of the land and need little introduction, it is the sauces and vegetables which are unique to the region and these include malakwang, a traditional Acholi dish that is made with greens and ground nut paste, sesame seed paste, ground nuts and onions.
It is often served at weddings with the belief that it will bring good luck to the newlyweds.
It is also known as Acholi stew. Another popular dish would be boo made from egobe combined with okra, sesame. The boo plant, aka cow pea plant forms the base of a well-known and much loved traditional dish eaten throughout northern Uganda.
As for the meat, they serve ringo mutwo which is dried beef cooked in sim sim paste. We are happy to say that La Koi is off to a good start and we had a medley of dishes comprising the best from the north and south and we were pleased with the results.
For the mains, a combination of sweet potatoes, matooke, posho, yams, rice and green proved to be ideal, offering a chance to the merit of the kitchen staff in situ. The matooke was done to perfection, something worth a mention. In terms of the presentation, quantity and taste, a job well done.
The sauces are prepared au naturel rather than seasoned and offer a sublime change from the former to which most of us are accustomed. While not my preferred or every day choice, it is worthwhile a try and it is something that does not take a whole lot of getting used to taste wise. The service is pleasant and efficient, while the ambiance needs to be worked on.
The road on which they are located, Mumia forms the ring road and has been tarmacked, which is a godsend and will undoubtedly prove to be a blessing for the business and those within the vicinity.
Address: Mumia road, Bugolobi
Smoke-Free Zone: Applicable
Recommended items: The boiled chicken stew
Service: Good
Ambience: Needs more work but promising
Menu: Deep fried/roasted chicken, pork zone, the beef kraal, from the lake, goat’s tournament, and chicken farm, dry roasted goat’s meat, roasted or fried
The Crowd: Locals from the neighborhood and coeds from the nearby hostels.
The Bar: Wine, spirits, beer, mineral water and juice
The damage: A couple can easily get by with Shs50,000 including a soda
Sound level: Good
Rating: Worth a visit
Parking: Available
If you go: They are open every day
RATINGS: Not to be missed, worth a visit, OK/so so, don’t waste your time.
