Kenyan bars and restaurants in Kampala are renowned for their goat meat, ugali (posho) and sukuma wiki (collard greens), which is what my friend and I ordered for over the weekend, at Makutano Bar and Grill, a Kenyan restaurant in Kansanga, Kampala. The word ‘makutano’ is derived from the Swahili verb ‘kutana’, which means ‘to meet’ or ‘to gather together.’ Loosely translated, ‘mukutano’ means ‘a place where people meet or gather,’ and judging from the crowd of urban youth and middle-aged patrons at the restaurant, some of whom were Congolese, Rwandan, Ugandan and of course Kenyan nationals, whoever gave the eatery its name achieved their mission.
Location and facilities
Located in Kansanga on Ggaba Road and opposite Absa Bank, Makutano Bar and Grill is a fairly large establishment that comprises a lounge, a terrace restaurant, an alfresco sports bar whose counter is built around the trunk of a huge tree, and a car wash that can cater for at least eight cars at a go. The lounge downstairs is spacious with huge rectangular, concrete openings that serve as windows, which are partially covered with blinds. It is clean but basic with a well-stocked bar as its main focal point and could do with new upholstery and a furniture update. A wide staircase carpeted with artificial grass leads to a terrace restaurant upstairs, where most customers prefer to eat. Here, the floor is carpeted wall to wall with artificial grass and furnished with brown plastic wicker chairs and tables that are neatly arranged with a small sink at one corner of the restaurant.
Ambiance
The décor in the terrace restaurant in keeping with the rest of the establishment, is rustic with a mixture of potted and artificial hanging plants. The light bulbs on the ceiling are set in elongated semi-circular, carved wooden lampshades, while others have been placed in quaint hurricane lamps along the walls and create a cozy atmosphere when lit in the evenings. Two large speakers blare out contemporary music which though fairly loud does not drown out conversation. Patrons enjoy lively theme nights on various days that include live band music, quiz and Karaoke nights, music played by popular DJs and the screening of the current World Cup football tournaments, on two large television screens mounted on the walls of both ends of the restaurant.
The menu
Apart from the usual Kenyan fare of ugali, meat/offal, sukuma wiki and kachumbali (a tomato, onion and green pepper salad), the menu is wide and includes chicken, liver and fish. Matooke, Kalo, fast food, soups, pasta, burgers, salads and pizzas are also on the menu, as well as a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
The service
Our fruit juice arrived after 25 minutes and our food exactly an hour after the order had been taken. Meanwhile, a group of five who came in after us, were promptly served. The aroma of their roasted leg of goat filled the air, increasing our hunger pangs and making us wish we had ordered the same. By the time our food arrived, we were famished! The only consolation being that it was delicious and piping hot. The meat portions here are served in kilos and half a kilo of boneless meat, which goes for Shs36,000 and adequate for two, so too are the individual portions of posho and Sukuma wiki, which cost Shs3,000 and Shs2,000 respectively. I later realised that one way of being assured of prompt service, was to order in advance, which is such a shame for walk-in customers, especially since the chefs who cook the food know how to prepare delicious meals.
The bathroom
I was pleasantly surprised to find the bathroom clean and well supplied with toilet paper and liquid soap, considering the fairly large number of customers. An electric hand-drier would have been an added bonus.
Overall impression
We enjoyed our meal at Makutano, the snail-paced service not withstanding and will definitely pay another visit, to try the roasted leg of goat, only that this time I will call and make my order well in advance.
AT A GLANCE
Name: Makutano Bar and Grill.
Location: Ggaba Road, Kansanga, opposite ABSA Bank.
Food: Good.
Specialty: Kenyan fare.
Drinks: There’s a well-stocked bar and a wide variety of non-alcoholic drinks.
Service: Very slow, consider ordering in advance.
Ambiance: Rustic, some places need updating.
Budget: Shs52,000 for two and to up to Shs205,000 for a platter for five, sodas/water inclusive.
Rating: Certainly, worth a visit.
Entertainment: Contemporary music, various theme nights and the World Cup football tournaments.