A. Kadumukasa Kironde II
5 August 2007
Recently, I met Dr Vali Jamal and he chided me for not having been to his restaurant, Café Viva, in recent memory. He intoned that it was "different" and that by all means I should schedule a visit and see for myself.
Well, I must confess that it came as a surprise when fellow trencherman and I finally did go to visit Café Viva last Sunday. It's not just "different" - it's altogether "new." The walls have been repainted, off-white, and the murals have been extended to cover all the walls. One mural runs in a strip all round the room, while on one wall is a depiction of a rain forest. Upstairs the motif is trees, in daytime and at night! There's also a red-and-black zebra pattern. It reminded me of a Paris sidewalk cafe.
There are other things different about Café Viva. It has been Ugandanised, meaning all the staff are now local. The menu has been revamped. There are lots of upmarket continental dishes - fish fillet in white sauce, three different kinds of penne, lots of fresh salads, sandwiches and succulent burgers. I had his penne in coriander dish when I first reviewed him; I'd still recommend it.
He is also putting some of his eggs into the traditional-food kikapu, to mix up a cliché. The matooke is cooked kama jumbani (as it should be - i.e. steamed in leaves and stalk. Vali Jamal is Kenyan-born.) As stew, there is a choice of fish or beef. The fish portions are large and at Shs5,000, this is a steal. The beef version is only Shs4,000. The service comes to your table and you get as much as at those "help-yourself" places that abound in downtown. Why would you not choose Café Viva, which has five toilets! Apart from that, he wants to make "the best Rolex" in Kampala any executive can sit down and partake of for breakfast or bag it.
Jamal assures me that when it comes to omelettes, one can choose from a French Omelette, a fluffy or soufflleed, a firm or sweet omelette or even a Spanish omelette with potatoes, garlic, cilantro etc. "Of course, you can have it as part of an English breakfast, too."
Jamal himself made me a soup. Like the fine wine we were having, it had hidden aromas you only discovered as you went along: citronella (lemon grass), coriander, rosemary - and something else. I just couldn't make it out. "Well," he said, stirring up mischief, "I started the soup with excess water from the rice that was boiling for the biriyani." Innovative! He then brought out a whole tilapia in coriander paste and massala. I mean, if you get such a lovely fish in the middle of Kampala why would you want to go all the way to Munyonyo? Okay, you would - for the outing and the fresh lake air.
The biriyani I ate was the most delicious I've had in Kampala - not even in the upmarket Kololo palaces. It was an "integrated" biriyani, where the rice is layered with the curried chicken and Irish, infusing all the ingredients with the multi flavours. "You don't get this anymore even in Asian homes!" says Dr Jamal, "what you get is coloured rice and a very thick curry at the side." Dr Jamal had even "smoked" the biriyani by dropping ghee on a piece of charcoal. No ghee in the biriyani, though, "that's out these days." Even his onion kachumbali for biriyani ("a must") had been smoked.
We chatted about the India Vs England test match in progress. India were doing well. He commiserated about this with a group of English tourists as they stepped in, saying, "Don't worry, rain will come to the rescue. Fish 'n'chips?" No, they wanted CTM. "CTM?" what's that I asked. "Oh, Kadum, that's almost England's national dish now - you know chicken tikka massala." He brought it out on a bed of salad.
What a difference two months makes! The last time I had visited Café Viva was after the anti-Mabira/anti-Asian riots. Jamal was caught up in it, first as he came off the matatu and then in his office while the mob tried to come to City Square. Revenues plummeted by one-third. Competitors started "vulturing" (his usage) for his place, figuring to pick it up on the salvage market.
"Then you know who your well-wishers are!" During the last fortnight, Jamal has sunk in a modest amount of money in new investments. Dr Jamal has Chogm in sight and before that the Aga Khan's visit. Wireless Internet is being installed. What a long way to come!
Rating
XXXX: UNRIVALLED
XXX: EXCELLENT
XX: VERY GOOD
X: WORTH A VISIT
NONE: POOR to SATISFACTORY
These views are purely the reviewer's personal reaction to food, ambience and service with price being factored into consideration. The menu listing may change without notice.
Place: Café Viva
Location: Kampala Road, next to Crane Bank, opposite City Square
Rating: XX
Food: A variety of European and local fare
Price range: Very reasonable
Service: Good
Opening hours: Throughout the week
Parking: On the street
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