Built with the needs of families in mind, Caramel Café and Lounge Naalya, is one of the few high-end eateries in Kampala, that is the ideal weekend family retreat. A place where children can eat, play and have fun, while adults unwind and enjoy a leisurely meal, or a football game over drinks with friends, in a modern sports bar.
Ambiance and décor
Located on the Naalya-Kyaliwajjala Road, below Quality Shopping Mall, the restaurant comprises of three floors. On the ground floor is a large outdoor eating area, adorned with palm, cypress and bamboo foliage, that leads to the main restaurant. My friend and I were welcomed by a number of servers who ushered us to our table. The restaurant which is surrounded by clear, glass windows, is spacious, well-lit and tastefully decorated with potted plants, modern paintings and contemporary art pieces.
The music which is soft and low, creates an atmosphere that is tranquil and relaxing. There is a spacious sports bar with large flat screens upstairs, and another eating place on the floor above it.
Child-friendly facilities
One side of the restaurant leads to a children’s playground, which was full of children squealing with delight, as they played on the trampoline, swings and rocking horses.
These child-friendly facilities extend to providing high-chairs for serving meals to toddlers and a diaper changing station in the ladies’ washrooms.
The menu
The menu is quite pricey – pasta, burgers and sandwiches range from Shs35,000 to Shs42,000. Fish, steaks and chicken dishes cost Shs43,000 to Shs69,000. Soups and salads go for Shs20,000 to Shs35,000. Habesha or Ethiopia/Eritrean dishes range from Shs44,000 to Shs52,000. Meanwhile, children’s meals go for Shs24,000 to Shs29,000.
On the drinks menu are fresh fruit juices, milkshakes, smoothies, mojitos and mocktails which range from Shs14,000 to Shs22,000. Teas and coffee cost Shs8,000 to Shs26,000 while desserts go for Shs8,000 to Shs21,000.
The food
It was years since we last tasted Habesha cuisine so we ordered the Bayenet Meat Special, a mixture of different meat dishes served on a platter with injera, an Ethiopian and Eritrean staple. Injera, is a slightly sour, soft and spongy, pancake-like flatbread, made from fermented teff flour. Traditionally, it is served flat on a communal platter, topped with piles of vegetable or meat stews and served with rolls or stacks of folded injera. A small piece of injera is pinched off the main piece and used to scoop up the meat, vegetables and sauces. After the toppings have been eaten, the bottom layer of injera, which has soaked up all the sauces during the meal, is eaten last.
The meal that was served to us on a platter comprising a flat piece of injera piled with minced beef, chicken and beef strips, collard greens and a heap of caramelised onions and garlic, beneath which was a chicken drumstick and a boiled egg, as well as a fresh vegetable salad. On the side of the platter were folded pieces of injera for scooping up the food. The waiter warned us that the food was hot and spicy, after serving it, instead of mentioning this when we placed the order. The food indeed was hot, but since I love spicy food, I enjoyed it. My friend, however, found it a bit too spicy and had to chase down each bite with gulps of water. We rounded off our meal with a large bowl of fruit salad, which, after the spicy dish, served as a palate cleanser.
The verdict
It was quite a culinary adventure, eating injera with its spicy sauces after many years. However, it is always advisable to adjust the spice levels of hot dishes, so that customers can select the level of heat they can comfortably tolerate. Caramel Café Naalya, is the perfect place for family outings and definitely worth a visit.