For classy service

For exotic and well done dishes, Nyanja Restaurant does not disappoint. Net photo 

The passing away of the iconic food guru Sam Patel last week came as a surprise and shock.
I have known Sam and his wife, Liz Taylor since the mid-1980s. He was not only fanatical about food but innovative.

He was the first to formally bring us Your Choice meat products from Kenya which were sold somewhere on Nkrumah or Nasser Road. As the business grew, he had the wisdom and foresight to seek premises on Bombo Road where he could offer the best of both worlds.

First class eclectic food and a wide array of world class products from the world class Kenyan Your Choice. Sam’s as the place was known became renowned for its grills with the best pork chops in town. Speaking of which, Sam’s was the first to offer us tandoori pork chops and what a great hit!

His Faze 2 and Faze 3 restaurants in Kampala and Entebbe are second to none when it comes to excellent dining. Thanks to the solid foundation of Sam and Liz, we shall continue to enjoy the best of his legacy for years to come.

When it comes to a family outing, few places can boast of having the versatility of the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort which not only has a beautiful marina but an Olympic size swimming pool and a great gym and health club, stables for horseback riding and good food.

Culinary delight
I had never tried the tandoori whole fish before and upon trying it wondered what I had been missing for all those years.

The tandoori oven being made of clay does wonder for any kind of meat, vegetable or fish; though historically tandoori is associated with chicken.

Whole tandoori fish is a delicacy that is rare to find in any eating joint in town, and the tandoori grilling effect gives the fish a texture and taste that is uniquely sublime, while at the same time tender and wholly delectable.
This was preceded by an assortment of cold smoked fish that were the ideal starter before the main course. Smoked Nile perch is sometimes referred to as the poor man’s smoked salmon and this is not a farfetched dream. The service is never a letdown. Good things do not come cheap and the price for the average entrée is around the Shs33,000.

If you go…
Place: Nyanja Restaurant, Munyono Commonwealth Resort
Address: Munyono, Kampala
Menu: Soup of the day Shs 17,000, an assortment of salads ranging from chicken Hawaii salad at Shs 24,000 to the assorted smoked fish platter Shs 45,000. Entrees such as stuffed chicken breast, sticky pork ribs between Shs 34,000 and Shs 40,000 though the grilled salmon steak is Shs 47,000. They also offer an Asian menu featuring popular chicken tikka masala, mutton Rogan josh and several vegetarian items from which to choose.
The space: The alfresco setting overlooking the water is a dream while the indoors reminds one of a posh club
The crowd: Multinational and Ugandans
Smoking: Not allowed indoors or public areas except on the veranda
The bar: Variety of drinks
The damage: A couple could get by on Shs 100,000
Sound level: Perfect
Parking: Available and very secure

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.