Mongolian BBQ with an African touch
Sep 13, 2007
FOR long, Mongolian barbecue (BBQ) adverts have been running in the newspapers. You could think there are Mongol chefs in town. <br>
By Davis Weddi
FOR long, Mongolian barbecue (BBQ) adverts have been running in the newspapers. You could think there are Mongol chefs in town.
Last week, I went to Hotel Africana gardens for the Mongolian BBQ. Apparently, the staff were trained abroad in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in two months’ time.
I was ushered into the gardens to a spacious well-aerated white tent. The waitress, Rehema, quickly showed me the buffet table and guided me through the steps of a Mongolian BBQ. With my plate in hands, she started naming each of the food items on the table as I served.
The variety of well-marinated meat is not ready-to-eat. The air is filled with a rich aroma. I started with the vegetables — sliced raw cabbage, carrots, green pepper and tomatoes and proceeded to the meat variety; chicken, goat, steak, ox liver and fish.
The chef, who stands behind a flaming stove with a hot steaming frying pan, empties your food onto the blue-yellow flame-heated convex metal skillet (wide pan). He fries as you watch from a distance.
Rehema led me to a table and asked what I would drink. I chose passion fruit juice. In about three minutes, she returned with it and six minutes later, she asked me to pick my food.
The uniqueness about Africana’s cooks is that they add an African touch to the Mongolian BBQ. They serve the meat with sweet potato chips and matooke.
The chef also gives you three sauce options, reddish BBQ sauce, mushroom sauce and thick groundnut sauce.
The tent had adequate lighting, but the music at the swimming pool was too loud.
After 20 minutes, I asked for my bill; it was promptly delivered. However, I left without visiting the finishers table, where the fruit salad is served.
FOR long, Mongolian barbecue (BBQ) adverts have been running in the newspapers. You could think there are Mongol chefs in town.
Last week, I went to Hotel Africana gardens for the Mongolian BBQ. Apparently, the staff were trained abroad in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in two months’ time.
I was ushered into the gardens to a spacious well-aerated white tent. The waitress, Rehema, quickly showed me the buffet table and guided me through the steps of a Mongolian BBQ. With my plate in hands, she started naming each of the food items on the table as I served.
The variety of well-marinated meat is not ready-to-eat. The air is filled with a rich aroma. I started with the vegetables — sliced raw cabbage, carrots, green pepper and tomatoes and proceeded to the meat variety; chicken, goat, steak, ox liver and fish.
The chef, who stands behind a flaming stove with a hot steaming frying pan, empties your food onto the blue-yellow flame-heated convex metal skillet (wide pan). He fries as you watch from a distance.
Rehema led me to a table and asked what I would drink. I chose passion fruit juice. In about three minutes, she returned with it and six minutes later, she asked me to pick my food.
The uniqueness about Africana’s cooks is that they add an African touch to the Mongolian BBQ. They serve the meat with sweet potato chips and matooke.
The chef also gives you three sauce options, reddish BBQ sauce, mushroom sauce and thick groundnut sauce.
The tent had adequate lighting, but the music at the swimming pool was too loud.
After 20 minutes, I asked for my bill; it was promptly delivered. However, I left without visiting the finishers table, where the fruit salad is served.