Review Round-up and best burger in Uganda revealed.

So I’ve been very lax again and seeing as I’ve only one or two more meals in Uganda at Entebbe Backpackers, I’ll try and put all of my remaining reviews in to one last monster post. KFC have just opened their first branch in Uganda so it’s definitely time to move on.

New York Kitchen, Garden City, Kampala

I first went here on National Burger Day and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve also returned a further two times, on each occasion ordering the same thing, a cheese and bacon burger. The bun was the usual slightly toasted, slightly sweet affair that holds up well. The cheese was fine and well melted over the patty. The bacon was a revelation, easily the best bacon I’ve had in Uganda. It was a slab of lean crisp back bacon. The patty was juicy, handmade and very tasty, cooked to medium perfection. 4 out of 5 for each visit and I’m happy to say the best burger I’ve had in Uganda. Such a shame that the location of this place is dire and it is always empty.

Café Pap, Garden City, Kampala

Three visits here, all for a brunch of bacon, onion and tomato bap. All fairly sound, plenty of bacon and no real complaints. The fresh fruit juices are delicious and the latte’s are very good too. 3 out of 5.

The Bistro, Kisementi, Kampala

Three visits here, all good burgers with gorgonzola and jalapenos. They are also accompanied with a pair of homemade chili relishes, one green, one red and both blisteringly hot. Very good burgers, good G&T happy hours and a nice set-up which will be much better when Acacia Mall is finished construction next year. 3.5 out of 5

Good African Coffee Company, Lugogo Mall, Kampala

Three visits here purely because it was either here or Mr Tasty’s . Chicken burger was OK, at least it was a proper chicken breast, but didn’t work with 1000 Island dressing.  The Full English was OK, but marred by very poor pork sausages. Bacon and cheese burger was let down by poor overly peppery patty. 2.5 out of 5.

Gusto, Kisementi, Kampala

Two trips to Gusto. The Gusto burger without mushrooms was slightly better the second time around. Probably on account of it being a more reasonable time of day to eat. Also tried a pizza, which was dire. Overall 2.5 out of 5.

Café Endiro, Kisementi Square, Kampala

A wonderful little café cleverly hidden from the bustle of the square and the nearby construction site by a small rainforest. Cheese and bacon burger was good, steak baguette was also pretty good. 3 out of 5.

Just Kicking, Kisementi Square, Kampala

A sports bar that I’ve visited three times now. First up was the Havana Special, a massive plate of BBQ’d chicken breast and fillet steak, liberally marinated in a tangy BBQ sauce, pretty good. Next up was Chicken Quesadilla with Guacamole, also pretty good and the guac the nicest that I’ve had in Uganda.  Last meal there was chicken fajitas which were great, would have been better with proper sour cream and some jalapenos. Overall 3 out of 5.

Ranchers, Garden City, Kampala

A couple of trips here, both times it was fillet steak and chips, sadly the rib-eye was ‘too fatty’. Both good quality fillets, but a bit bland for my taste. 3 out of 5.

Lebanese Kitchen, Garden City, Kampala

Three more trips here all for the same thing, the chicken shawarma platter, all consistently good even though the chili sauce will blow your head off. 3 out of 5.

Spurs, Garden City, Kampala

Another South African export. First up was the chili burger. It was described as being a burger with chili on top. What came was a burger doused in chili sauce. Still it had decent heat and taste and was all in all pretty good. The second time I visited, my eating ambitions got the better of me and I went for a rib and chicken combo. The chicken was massive, and a tad too dry. The ribs came from 3 or 4 pigs I think and weren’t half bad, not great by any stretch of the imagination, but OK. 3 out of 5.

Nandos, Nakasero, Kampala

Sadly the Nandos sign has now been taken down, but the establishment is still there. I had the same as last time, chicken breast pitta and chips. It was the same as last time. 2.5 out of 5.

Nile River Camp, Bujagali, Jinja

My third and last rafting trip was at a different place. It was great fun on the river with three decent flips and a running battle with another boat that saw us repeatedly ramming, boarding and throwing their occupants overboard. I did my knee in again though. At the campsite I had a steak roll, which was cold and raw in the middle, a good burger and some adequate breakfasts. 2.5 out of 5 overall.

Haandi Express, Garden City, Kampala

This is the food court version of the very good Haandi I had previously been too. Despite being in a food court the standard of the food was just as good. I had a mixed thali with a bunch of veggie curries, one chicken one, other accompaniments and a couple of rotis and rice. All were excellent. 4 out of 5.

Miso, Oasis Mall, Kampala

I never knew this other food court existed, but decided to give the Korean place a try. My meal came with two different soups, miso and pumpkin, both were horrible to me, but then I do hate soup. The main event was a chicken bin bin bap or something (apologies for not knowing what it was called. 3 out of 5. Good, but not as good as Arirang.

Nile River Explorers, Bujagali, Jinja

This was when I went tandem kayaking, a great thing to do and a wonderfully different experience than rafting, I highly recommend it. Anyway afterwards I had a chicken schnitzel, which was OK and the next morning a full English brekkie which was pretty darn good. 3 out of 5.

Mediterraneo, Kololo, Kampala

An upmarket Italian with plenty of good menu choices. Sadly I reverted to type and had a Diavolo Pizza, the usual of pepperoni and chilis. It was good, slightly ahead of Cayenne’s and my favourite pizza in Uganda. 4 out of 5.

Roadtrip reviews

The next few are from my amazing and eventful trip around Western Uganda and Rwanda

Lake Nkuruba Camp, near Fort Portal

As it’s in the middle of nowhere you have to order by 3pm so that they can get the necessary ingredients from local farmers. I went for Beef and Chips, basic, 

but nice pieces of beef in a subtle i.e.bland tomato sauce. Breakfast was fried eggs and toast. 2.5 out of 5.

Simba Safari Camp, near Queen Elizabeth National Park

Chicken Gordon Blue (sic), it was OK, nothing special, same with breakfast. 2 out of 5.

Kalebas, Lake Bunyonyi

Ham Pizza wasn’t good. 1.5 out of 5.

Bourbon Coffee Company, Kigali, Rwanda

Stopped here to leech some free internet and get my bearings in this strangely European African city. The steak baguette was fine, nothing to write home about. 2.5 out of 5

Great Wall, Kigali, Rwanda

Just up the road from the hostel was this popular Chinese restaurant. I had beef and peppers in a black bean sauce which was massive and very tasty. Despite many of the hostelites complaining of dodgy stomachs after eating here, I had no issues. 3 out of 5.

Unknown sports bar, Kigali, Rwanda

Can’t remember what this place was called, but I had a good diavolo-esque pizza. 3 out of 5.

Rwakobo Rock, Lake Mburo National Park

This new lodge hotel just outside Lake Mburo NP (a great little park with an abundance of wildlife) was beautiful. I was told I was the only resident that evening, but I bumped into a young Dutch couple that I had recently met at Lake Bunyonyi three nights previously. Brekkie was and OK combo of bacon and eggs. Evening meal was Pork Chop and Lyonnais potatoes. The pork was tasty and nicely marinated, but not much meat on it and a pain to eat. 2.5 out of 5. Despite that I would highly recommend staying there and visiting the park.

Red Chilis Rest Camp, Murchison Falls National Park

Last of the roadtrip reviews and it was a trial getting here, but I made it even if my hire car didn’t. The place was understandably packed as on top of probably Uganda’s most famous game drive park, it was the weekend that the total solar eclipse passed by a few miles to the north. The eclipse was very quick where I eventually wound up after many more trials, but an amazing once in a lifetime experience. I also bumped in to some friends from Kampala soon after arriving which was a great surprise. Anyway on to the food, during the stay I managed to have 2 bacon and egg sarnies, the first came on a bun and was great with some brown sauce. The second was on the too sweet bread that is prevalent here. I also had chicken with boiled potatoes and veggies with onion gravy which was much needed after my long journey that day and the second night had bangers and mash again with onion gravy. The sausages weren’t too bad, some of the nicer ones I’ve had in Uganda. Overall 2.5 out of 5.

Café Javas, Kisementi, Kampala

So to my last review. Back in September I changed organizations and the new place was much closer to my flat. Close enough that it was a reasonable 30 minute walk home (I got a boda in the morning as I’m lazy). My route home took my directly past a large Café Javas so on many occasions when I didn’t feel like cooking I stopped in for a quick bite to eat. I’m not sure how many times I visited, but it was a lot, nearly all of the staff knew me and the outside patio area with a retractable roof was a wonderful oasis of calm despite being right next to Kira Road. I managed to work my way through most of the menu, and the following list of meals that I’ve had is not exhaustive. So I had, beef burritos, teriyaki chicken wrap, Cajun chicken salad (my favourite), Beef, lettuce and tomato sarnie, minced chicken burger, chicken breast burger, blazin’ beef and chili wrap, marinated beef sarnie, choc fudge cake, pancakes, chicken burrito, and chicken quesadilla. Overall 3.5 out of 5

So that’s it. I might have a few to add as an addendum for the next week. I can’t complain about eating badly here, but I’d struggle to recommend Uganda as a top notch culinary destination. Still at least there’s a KFC here now.