Sandwiched in salad at Design
May 06, 2004
DEGUSTIBUS<br><br>It has always struck me as being strange that no body has ever given much thought of opening a café in the heart of the City, that would be dedicated to the many aficionados of good light and hearty snacks and soups, while at the same time having a variety of beverages.
DEGUSTIBUS
Place: Design Cafe
Rating: XX
Food: Cafe style sandwiches, soups, snacks et al
Location: Kimathi Street Jubilee Insurance Building (IPS Building)
Service: On the whole good
Ambience: A very nice al fresco setting
Parking: Underground, otherwise settle for the street
Prices: Not that expensive really
Open: 8:00 — 9:00 Mon — Thursday 8:00 — 11:00 Fri — Saturday
It has always struck me as being strange that no body has ever given much thought of opening a café in the heart of the City, that would be dedicated to the many aficionados of good light and hearty snacks and soups, while at the same time having a variety of beverages.
By the way, while at it, it ought to open late. These types of joints are dime a dozen in New York and London and enjoy enomous patronage.
On the other hand, driving around Kampala during the last fortnight I have espied no fewer than three brand new eating joints that are all competing for the same market, food, food and more food with the inevitable booze. As if this is not enough, there is another swank establishment that is opening up in Crested Towers anon.
Now do not get me wrong, I remain an abashed and rabid capitalist and woe betide he who dares denigrate Adam Smith’s ‘the moving hand’, but one cannot help but wonder at this seemingly reckless and myopic rush to get into the action in a no growth area, it makes you wonder whether it is merely a subterfuge with another agenda in mind.
The bottom line is that the market for such enterprise is miniscule in this metropolis and at the end of the day each new entrant is competing for the existing market share that is stagnant, has fierce loyalty and over crowded.
Anyway, good luck to you all. Let us see if you can usher in the new decade!
And what a joyous and thrilling surprise to stumble upon a true café where coffee is never that awful instant stuff that is so often the order of the day!
I suppose that it was a matter of time before somebody finally saw the virtue of such an idea and they have answered our prayers with a clarion call. Design Café has a myriad of beverages from which one can choose with at least half a dozen on offer.
Goodness knows when I last had a chance to have a true Mocha this being a delicious and rich blend espresso with hot chocolate and hot milk. Heavenly!
Though I thoroughly enjoyed my club sandwich rather thought that sh7,000 was on the high side. Still, the ham and cheese at sh4,000 was a good bargain.
Wisely, they offer half portions and these coupled with say, soup can prove to be a good bargain.
The soups by the way are not canned and I was pleased as punch with their minestrone, a hearty Italian soup that is made with several kinds of vegetables.
By the way do not fail to inquire about their daily specials.
RATING:
XXXX UNRIVALLED
XXX EXCELLENT
XX VERY GOOD
X WORTH A VISIT
O NOT WORTH A VISIT
Place: Design Cafe
Rating: XX
Food: Cafe style sandwiches, soups, snacks et al
Location: Kimathi Street Jubilee Insurance Building (IPS Building)
Service: On the whole good
Ambience: A very nice al fresco setting
Parking: Underground, otherwise settle for the street
Prices: Not that expensive really
Open: 8:00 — 9:00 Mon — Thursday 8:00 — 11:00 Fri — Saturday
It has always struck me as being strange that no body has ever given much thought of opening a café in the heart of the City, that would be dedicated to the many aficionados of good light and hearty snacks and soups, while at the same time having a variety of beverages.
By the way, while at it, it ought to open late. These types of joints are dime a dozen in New York and London and enjoy enomous patronage.
On the other hand, driving around Kampala during the last fortnight I have espied no fewer than three brand new eating joints that are all competing for the same market, food, food and more food with the inevitable booze. As if this is not enough, there is another swank establishment that is opening up in Crested Towers anon.
Now do not get me wrong, I remain an abashed and rabid capitalist and woe betide he who dares denigrate Adam Smith’s ‘the moving hand’, but one cannot help but wonder at this seemingly reckless and myopic rush to get into the action in a no growth area, it makes you wonder whether it is merely a subterfuge with another agenda in mind.
The bottom line is that the market for such enterprise is miniscule in this metropolis and at the end of the day each new entrant is competing for the existing market share that is stagnant, has fierce loyalty and over crowded.
Anyway, good luck to you all. Let us see if you can usher in the new decade!
And what a joyous and thrilling surprise to stumble upon a true café where coffee is never that awful instant stuff that is so often the order of the day!
I suppose that it was a matter of time before somebody finally saw the virtue of such an idea and they have answered our prayers with a clarion call. Design Café has a myriad of beverages from which one can choose with at least half a dozen on offer.
Goodness knows when I last had a chance to have a true Mocha this being a delicious and rich blend espresso with hot chocolate and hot milk. Heavenly!
Though I thoroughly enjoyed my club sandwich rather thought that sh7,000 was on the high side. Still, the ham and cheese at sh4,000 was a good bargain.
Wisely, they offer half portions and these coupled with say, soup can prove to be a good bargain.
The soups by the way are not canned and I was pleased as punch with their minestrone, a hearty Italian soup that is made with several kinds of vegetables.
By the way do not fail to inquire about their daily specials.
RATING:
XXXX UNRIVALLED
XXX EXCELLENT
XX VERY GOOD
X WORTH A VISIT
O NOT WORTH A VISIT