Mulungu Fish Fry

There is no better way to enjoy deep fried whole fish or any type of cooked fish than having the rare option of eating freshly caught fish from the ocean, river or lake. 

Sadly, the reality of this era is the belated discovery that many of our estuaries are increasingly becoming nearly incapable of supporting marine life as all of us have come to know and accept. Regardless, in compensation, this bad news has spawned a host of scientific and newly discovered technologies espousing fish farming determined to mitigate the situation. 

Fish of all kinds provide undisputedly high-grade protein, most of it considerably less fatty than most meats. Tilapia, being an all-time favorite, readily comes to mind as being one of those non-fatty fish that responds favorably to deep fat frying or sautéing. 

When our friends from abroad came over for a visit and expressed a desire to eat fresh fish Mulungu landing fish site immediately came to mind.  Our last visit to the area was in August of last year when Mulungu Fish Fry was undergoing a renovation and, on that occasion, among the several joints that abound in the area, we chose one that was modest in size and despite a forty-minute wait for the fish to be served, we were favorably impressed with the outcome.   

Welcome scenes 
As one approaches the Mulungu landing site, a few minutes from the Munyonyo roundabout that goes towards Lweza, one is confronted by a bevy of mostly young lads and lasses who were bedecked in white aprons and floppy hats assiduously going about bantering would be customers for their attention. All of them seeking to entice them to seek one’s attention with a view to choosing to sit in their dining section from where they order fresh fish which is then deep fried or grilled. 

They are scores and scores of persons who fiercely fight among each other for the business. Coupled with them are the parking boys, who for a fee will ensure that your vehicle is safely parked and is not vandalized. 

As one approaches the main seating section of the market the place becomes more crowded but we took our chances and were directed to a parking spot right in front of the building by none other than David, who suggested Malungu Fish Fry that is located on the second floor and occupies a vast area and can probably seat more than three to four hundred diners at a go. 

Once upstairs getting a place to sit is another battle altogether with diners sitting choc a bloc but eventually we overcame that obstacle. In terms of ordering the deal was either we go downstairs and choose our fish that we desire or else we could opt for ready fried fish. However, part of the thrill of the outing was to choose the fresh fish and then have it cooked being assured that everything is as fresh as a daisy. 

Naturally we chose the former and I went downstairs and made our order with a mixture of deep fried and grilled. As for the drinks, typical of these joints the concession belongs to someone else and a waitress took our order of beer, water and soda which were reasonably priced and then began the wait.  

While there is nothing to beat and ever so rewarding about eating deep fried fresh fish out of the water that can never be duplicated, atmosphere, environment and ambience at Mulungu Fish Fry are greatly conspicuous by their absence. 

The DJ
The seating arrangement, as earlier mentioned, is poorly set up to say the very least; but the noise of the music and rowdy DJ (swigging beer after beer on the job) is loud to the point where one cannot carry on a decent conversation at all has to be the absolute limit. Matters are not helped by his advertising up-coming events in the future or a reminder that they serve tea coupled with a continuous drivel of malarkey and codswallop which went on ad nauseam throughout the afternoon leaving many of us traumatized and disgusted to the point where his babble became a constant irritant! 

Much to our chagrin we had to wait for a good hour for the fried fish while the grilled took even longer! On the plus side, despite the absence of any type of seasoning such as garlic, ginger or Royco, to mention just a few items, salt was the only epicurean additive permitted thus allowing one to enjoy the unadulterated and sublime flesh of the fish to its fullest. 

For sure not everyone’s cup of tea, but then such fish is at its best done in this manner and considering that the cooks (chefs would be much too lofty a word to describe them) do this day in and day out they have become expert craftsman and know what they are doing like the back of their hand and the results are bound to always be consistent. 

The service is generally lackluster and the environment is slovenly and chaotic, fortunately these short comings are ably compensated by the wonderful fish that they serve. 

The fries are greasy and a total disappointment. Speaking of which, we also saw a vendor of gonja and I believe that they also offer fried cassava, balloons, trinkets, phone covers et al. Thankfully they have done away with having to cough up three hundred bod bob for the use of the loos.  

On balance, rather than having to put up with the helter skelter environment and you are a fan of fresh deep fried fish, we have decided that the next time around we shall order for a takeaway and enjoy our meal in the tranquility of our home.  

If you go....
The Place: Mulungu Fish Fry Rating: OK/don’t waste your time 
Address: Munyonyo 
The Space: A dismal cavernous space that is a total eyesore    
The Crowd: The hoi pollio working class Ugandans and many of them with their families and people talk about money being scarce! Could have fooled me!
The Bar: Beer, soda and mineral water  
Recommended dishes: Whole deep fried fish  
The damage: The fish range between shs 30,000 and shs 50’000 per piece 
Sound level: Extremely loud, raucous and unbearable as well as being nauseating.    
Parking: Available and safe though one has to part with some money and the amount would depend on the value of the car
Smoke free zone: Not allowed Service: Room for improvement   What we liked: The whole deep fried fish
If you go: Open daily 

RATINGS: Not to be missed, worth a visit, OK/ don’t waste your time.  
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.