IT IS ALL ABOUT GOOD FOOD AND GOOD WINE NEXT WEEK IN KAMPALA
(Posted 20th October 2014)
Kampala’s two leading hotels will be the place to be next week as some of South Africa’s biggest names in the wine business are in town. As already reported here will the Kampala Serena host the garden party with South African Airways to showcase 15 wineries with snacks and cheese tasting thrown in for good measure, but the culinary highlight of the coming week will no doubt take place at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel where the chefs have conjured up a menu fit to match selected wines presented to the city’s most sophisticated diners – and a cheeseboard then providing the icing on the menu cake.
Local wine merchants ‘African Wine Traders’ will showcase the finest creations of South Africa’s ‘Longridge’ over the space of four courses while the cheese board, provided by Kenya’s acclaimed ‘Browns’ will no doubt attract a few extra orders for bottles which content are matching the variety of different cheeses for sampling.
This culinary ‘battle’ between Kampala’s leading hotels have certainly improved the options of eating out in Uganda’s capital city and regular theme nights are now attracting renewed interest in eating at hotel restaurants where in particular at the Sheraton the new chef team has made all the difference.
The cost of the night out at the Sheraton will be the equivalent of US Dollars 50, showing what value visitors to Uganda can get for a lot less than it would set them back in Europe, America or Asia and even some of the neighbouring capitals where a similar night out easily goes for twice as much. Included are a four course meal, canapes to start with and a well sorted cheese board to close the meal in style and wines are of course included. It takes little imagination that some of the more savvy tour and safari operators in Kampala will try to convince their clients staying in the city on Thursday to change their dinner plans and take advantage of this unique offer, gaining brownie points with their clients and with the hotel for patronizing the Sheraton, no doubt rewarded when next talking rates and tariffs.
Invitations to both events are thankfully acknowledged but upcoming travel will have my mouth water several hundred miles away from the scene of such culinary delights. Kampala truly has come of age in recent years as far as eating out and the nightlife is concerned, adding a new shine to the ‘Pearl of Africa’ as Uganda is known around the world. With Africa specialist tour operators coming to Kampala next month for the Africa Travel Association’s annual congress, participants signed up will hopefully be able to sample and witness the raised levels of service standards in the country and the presentation and taste of food, made fresh from largely organic ingredients. Bon Appetite and Happy Landings to all visitors coming to Uganda.
