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Since I’m a poet and I love food,
Why not combine the two for a rhyming food review?
First on the list is Nyala African Cuisine,
Which appropriately enough is the first Ethiopian restaurant I’ve been.
When you first walk in you are greeted by giraffe statues and other African décor.
Djembe drums and other african instruments hung above the tile floor.
Ambience provided by soft candlelight and world music…
You can’t help but feel the positive and relaxed vibes that infuse it.
Those vibes originate from the gregarious owner Asefah,
Who has the presence of a Lion King named Mufasa.
But this lion doesn’t roar or bite,
This lion welcomes you with a smile ever so bright.
And to bring you delicious dishes is his delight!
Oh delicious indeed were the dishes we ate.
We emptied every container and licked clean every plate.
We started with scrumptious squid, hummous and mixed vegetable pakora.
With a spicy mango chutney that was so sinfully tasty I thought it was made in Sodom and Gomorrah.
But no need to revert to biblical times,
Although I must admit the experience was divine.
Bright colours danced with aromas across our table.
Our mouths salivating, our hands armed with cutlery ready, willing and able.
Salads made of tabouleh and lentil…
Cabbage, carrots, split peas and spinach with such a unique taste I thought it was experimental.
It was a creamy mixture of spinach and kale,
And yet somehow a spicy aftertaste is what prevailed.
Definitely my favourite of all the sides,
And definitely something I recommend you try.
But sides need mains to be complete
So now let me tell you all about the meat!
Juicy chicken and lamb cooked and served in a Tajine which is a pot made of clay.
I’ve never had food prepared in this way…
And let me tell you this won’t be the last time
That Tajine prepartion inspires a rhyme.
The lamb was so succulent and tender.
Protein so smooth as if it came fresh out of the blender.
But that wasn’t the only ideal condition.
The Tajine had the same impact on the chicken.
Moist and firm, so sweet it was nice.
Did I mention it came on a bed of yellow saffron and other herbed rice?
We were also blessed with the main that was last:
Boneless chicken thighs with onion and green pepper on a hot plate iron cast.
So no crunchy bones or rubbery joints.
And like all the other cuisine, it didn’t disappoint.
Oh wow, I don’t know what quite took over my head…
I forgot to tell you about the Injera, the traditional flat sourdough unleavened bread.
You use the bread to scoop up the food
And in this case eating with your hands isn’t rude.
But it should never be rude
Cuz using your hands literally gets you more in touch with the food!
So I know this review is long but a few more lines won’t hurt.
I’ll finish the food off by talking about dessert.
Homemade cheescake topped with sauce made of mango.
Dancing across our tastebuds as if doing the tango.
But my personal favourite was the South African Brandy Tart.
It left me speechless so I don’t even know where to start.
Overall, the food was flat out yummy.
You’d see a giant satisfied smile on my belly if there were teeth on my tummy.
And you definitely get more than what you pay for.
The experience was like church, the kind that you pray for.
Do what we did and get several plates meant for sharing.
And you’ll certainly taste the secret ingredient of tender loving caring.
My final grade was F but don’t think this is drastic.
Cuz the F doesn’t stand for failure, it stands for Fantastic!
And Friendly, and Family-owned and Fun…
And with that my review is Finally almost done…
The last thing I’ll say is that I realized why the giraffes are there after I left.
It’s cuz just like Nyala, they stand above the rest.